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The behaviour of Melissa Caddick’s husband was extremely strange and when he was seen crying they were not “real tears”, a police officer has told the inquest into her 2020 disappearance.
Sgt Trent Riley was one of the first officers to interview Anthony Koletti after his missing person’s report was filed on 13 November, about 30 hours after he says Caddick left their Dover Heights mansion.
Koletti has denied any involvement in his wife’s disappearance.
“I thought it was strange a husband would ring the police station, report his wife missing two days later and wasn’t prepared to come to the police station,” Riley said on Wednesday.
“Or didn’t really want police to go around and see him [because] he had too much work on that day.”
Riley’s suspicions prompted him to visit the Sydney eastern suburbs home and his body-worn footage was played before the court on Wednesday.
“You can’t be too careful these days,” Koletti is heard saying as he unlocks one of the many doors in the multimillion-dollar house. In the couple’s cellar, Koletti points out she “hasn’t even taken any grog”.
On the upstairs deck with the Harbour Bridge in the background, Riley mentioned it was a good spot for New Year’s Eve.
“I was looking forward to New Year’s Eve, but I don’t know now. It doesn’t mean anything when you don’t have the love of your life,” Koletti said in the video.
“Did you go anywhere last night?” Riley asks. “Not that I know of,” Koletti replied.
Riley repeatedly says he does not believe Koletti – a part-time hairdresser and DJ – is telling him the whole truth.
“Like I said before, I think there’s something you’re not telling me,” Riley says in the video.
“I told you if something comes up I will tell you … I’ve been on this for a long time now,” Koletti responded.
Koletti’s solicitor, Judy Swan, pointed out that at the end of the search and interview her client starts to cry. “They weren’t real tears in my opinion … I’m very confident they weren’t real tears,” Riley said on Wednesday.
He noted Koletti gave two different versions of the last time he had seen his wife.
Riley told the inquest he was unaware at the time the Australian federal police and Australian Securities and Investments Commission had raided the couple’s house on 11 November 2020.
Koletti told police he was not worried about his wife and had not left home – but he later said he had spent the day looking for her near The Gap, the inquest heard.
“[He says] he didn’t think she was missing but he was checking the cliffs around Rodney Reserve all day,” junior counsel assisting, Louise Coleman, said.
“Extremely strange,” Riley responded.
Coleman also asked him about the text message Koletti sent to the cleaner from Caddick’s phone pretending to be her.
“I did think that was strange,” he said.
Coleman said:“[Koletti] contacted her closest friends but hadn’t let them know she was missing?” The police officer replied: “He did. Very strange.”
He was also bewildered why Koletti described the clothes his wife was wearing when she left the house – despite not seeing her leave.
Earlier, Det Sgt Michael Kyneur recounted at the inquest an interview he had conducted with Koletti when he was in charge of the investigation.
Kyneur said Koletti offered a theory that his wife was staying at the Meriton in Bondi Junction.
“It was quite a big spot for us in our early years,” Koletti said. “She could have a fat wad of cash stashed under the bed for all I know. She’s resourceful.”
The inquest before the deputy state coroner, Elizabeth Ryan, continues.
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