A “controlling” man murdered his partner who was about to end their relationship, the court heard.
The body of Madison Wright, 30, was found at Wat Tyler Country Park in Pitsea, Essex, on July 30 last year, eight days after she was last seen, Basildon Crown Court said.
Gary Bennett, 37, of Caister Drive, Pitsea, denied her murder and cried at the secure dock as his trial began.
Opening the prosecution’s case on Tuesday, Tracy Ayling KC told jurors Ms Wright was last seen on July 22, 2022.
“Her body was found on Saturday 30 July at Wat Tyler Country Park in Pitsea at 2.50pm by a search team,” Ms Ayling said.
“Her body was covered in a pile of bushes and branches and a fence panel,” she continued. “The prosecution claims that this defendant killed Madison Wright.
“They were in a relationship right up until the time of her disappearance, although looking at her text messages, Korona says she was about to end the relationship, mainly because of his controlling behavior.”
In a text message from Ms Wright to Bennett read by the prosecutor, she told him: “I don’t like that when I come back from an absence, you take my phone out of your pocket and look at it.”
Mrs. Wright also told Bennett that she disliked calling Bennett when she was out to prove where she was or asking her “three or four times a day if I heard from anyone.”
Bennett wrote in a message to Ms Wright, which was also read by Ms Ayling, “I think I’m jealous of losing you.”
The prosecutor said Mrs Wright was “married once”.
She added that Mrs Wright was still in contact with her husband while she was in a relationship with Bennett.
Ms Wright was given a new flat in June 2022, Ms Ayling said.
The prosecutor said Bennett owed money to people, and in a text exchange on July 21, 2022, a person asked him in a message: “Okay dude, have you got that little money yet?”
The process continues.
