Jurors have been urged to reject the “far-fetched” claims of a man accused of murdering his Aberdeen girlfriend.
Prosecutor Duncan McPhie asked for Keith Rizzo to be convicted of killing Neomi Smith at her flat in Brechin, Angus, last June 9.
Miss Smith had 32 stab wounds and the same amount of blunt-force injuries.
Rizzo – who denies murder – told his mum two men had stormed the flat and attacked the 23-year-old insisting she owed them money.
He claimed the duo also stated to him: “This is not the first time we have done this.”
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Mr McPhie said during a closing speech to jurors at the High Court in Glasgow that Rizzo, also 23, had given “varying, inconsistent and incredible accounts” of what allegedly occurred.
Addressing what Rizzo told his mum, Mr McPhie said: “These two men came into the flat with murder in mind, but appeared not to have brought knives and instead had to use kitchen knives.”
Mr McPhie added if Rizzo was correct two “experienced murderers” then “ran the risk” of insisting he take hold of a knife before they fled.
He also stated the ex-farm worker had not given this account to police during four hours of questioning.
Rizzo’s QC later told the jury that the police “jumped to conclusions” in treating Rizzo as a suspect and his neighbour, who helped administer first aid to Ms Smith, as simply a witness.
Donald Findlay said: “The police allow the neighbour to enter his own flat, close the door, they say ‘go on, change your clothes, help yourself because we think he (Rizzo) did it.’
“The danger of jumping to conclusions is that we may miss something and evidence can be destroyed.”
The trial, before Lady Rae, continues.
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