Donna Howe murder trial begins in Queensland, Australia

Donna Louise Howe, 57, was reported missing after a Mother’s Day dinner on May 8, 2022. Her skeletal remains were later discovered on a four‑wheel‑drive track in the Glasshouse Mountains near Caboolture, Queensland. Braydon Franklin and Clinton Travis Oliver have appeared before the Brisbane Supreme Court, pleading not guilty to her murder but guilty to mistreatment of a corpse. Prosecutors say the pair waited for Howe to return home, tied her up, and burned her body on an isolated mountain track to destroy forensic evidence. Their motive was allegedly linked to accusations that Howe had stolen a bank card from their partners. Evidence presented includes text messages discussing Howe’s alleged theft, a photograph of a skull with a fracture, and testimony that Oliver moved the body into the mountains before setting it alight. The trial continues as the court hears details of the violent attack and the defendants’ alleged animosity toward the victim.