Bereaved tell of grief for murdered teen

Victim impact statements have been read at the sentencing hearing for the teen shot dead as he walked to an Adelaide New Year's Eve party.

Mark McPherson outside court

Bereaved father Mark McPherson has told a court of his grief for his murdered 18 year-old-son. (AAP)

A heartbroken mother who co-ordinates funerals has told of her pain at being reminded every day at work about her murdered teenage son.

"My son has been through every process at my work," Kimberly McPherson told the South Australian Supreme Court on Wednesday.

"Everything I do and see I know has happened to Lewis."

Most days, she got in her car and cried all the way home.

Her victim impact statement was one of 11 read at the sentencing hearing for the teenager found guilty of murdering Lewis McPherson, 18, and the attempted murder of Liam Trewartha and James Lamont.

The three friends were walking to the party, when they came across a 17-year-old acquaintance who fired shots at them while affected by drugs and alcohol.

Ms McPherson said her son, who was about to start university, was respected, admired, funny, ate salt and vinegar chips, and was loved very much by his family and friends.

Mark McPherson said his last contact with his son was when he sent a text saying: "Hi mate, please stay safe tonight, love dad".

Since his son died, he had lost his executive job, his house and had a heart attack.

Mr McPherson's fiancee Tina Pitman said she sometimes woke up to find him curled up in Lewis's bed crying.

Shooting victim James Lamont stared at the killer in the dock, telling him he had no idea of the misery and grief he had caused.

"No-one else in this room knows this besides you and me - Lewis never judged you for anything you did," he said.

"He would often tell me you would some day be good to this earth."

Bill Boucaut SC, for the killer, said the now 19-year-old regularly used alcohol and cannabis and couch-surfed after being kicked out of the family home 10 months before the shooting.

"His lifestyle and background was dysfunctional and lacking in guidance and certainly lacking in direction," he said.

The teenager, who says he had no memory of the shooting, obtained the gun as he perceived he needed it for protection, Mr Boucaut said.

A teacher who was anonymously told about the weapon had phoned police and handed over the details sometime before the shooting.

The teenager will be sentenced on March 5.


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Source: AAP


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