'Consistent' fault with fuel gauge of Karen Ristevski's car, court told
Tests performed on Karen Ristevski's black Mercedes Benz after it was seized by police found that the car had a consistently faulty fuel gauge, a court has heard.
An officer from Victoria Police's forensics unit told the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday that three tests were conducted on the car to determine if the gauge was broken.
Ms Ristevski's alleged killer, her husband Borce, has reportedly told police that he drove her 2004 Mercedes Benz coupe on the day she disappeared to test a faulty fuel gauge.
However, he reportedly has also said the fault corrected itself when he drove over a bump near the Calder Park raceway.
Police allege that Mr Ristevski actually drove the car 80 kilometres from their home in Avondale Heights to Mount Macedon to dump her body in bushland.
Forensic officer Glenn Dower told a hearing to decide whether Mr Ristevski will face trial over his wife's murder that the car's fuel tank was drained three times after being refilled.
"There was a fault with the fuel sending unit, the actual gauge was only showing empty or full," he said.
When asked if the fault was consistent, Mr Dower said it was.
"It's a moving resistor switch, because it's moving up and down all the time it can wear out," he said.
Mr Dower also gave evidence that there was mud found underneath the car's wheel arches.
When asked by defence lawyer Sam Norton whether the mud could be the same found in Victoria Police's major crime scene compound, as another forensic officer had suggested was a possibility, Mr Dower said:
"Mud when it dries lightens in colour ... I can't really form any judgement."
Two witnesses also gave evidence about calling Crime Stoppers after seeing the Mercedes in the Mount Macedon area on the day Mrs Ristevski went missing in June 2016.
One, Rosemary Davies, told the court that seeing the Mercedes at an intersection stuck in her mind as it was so infrequent that she would see a car there.
She said she didn't think the car belonged to a local.
"It was a sports car coupe thing ... and it was really clean and that time of year it should have mud on it," she said.
"I don't think there's any swish houses down there that would own a Mercedes."
Another witness, Diana Nastoska, gave evidence about working at Mrs Ristevski's fashion boutique Bella Bleu on the day she went missing and speaking to Mr Ristevski on the phone about it.
When asked by defence lawyer David Hallowes if Mr Ristevski sounded surprised she wasn't at the shop already, she said: "yes".
"They were an ordinary family," she said.
The committal hearing continues.