# Jury Hears Chilling Audio in Adelaide Murder Trial Court reviews CCTV evidence detailing the fatal stabbing of 21-year-old William Holdback. - **Source:** [PerthNow](https://www.perthnow.com.au) - **Published:** 2026-11-10 - **Topic:** [politics](https://brifing.si/c/politics) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/40e3e2c9-286a-401c-9966-c9009014217a ## Fatal Drug Deal Dispute William Holdback, aged 21, was killed following a drug deal disagreement in Adelaide on April 10, 2024. The victim allegedly smashed the rear window of a blue BMW with a metal bar before fleeing the scene. Brian Slann, 54, and his son Liam Slann, 29, are currently standing trial for his murder. ## CCTV Captures Chilling Threats Prosecutor Nicola Moore presented various CCTV recordings to the South Australian Supreme Court jury. The footage allegedly captures Liam Slann shouting threats while pursuing Holdback. Brian Slann is heard encouraging his son to attack the victim. The audio recordings include the victim screaming for help six times before he eventually died. ## Violent Attack Details Holdback sustained ten stab wounds during the confrontation. The prosecution argued that the number and placement of these wounds demonstrated the extreme ferocity of the attack. After the incident, the defendants allegedly drove away in their vehicle without calling emergency services, leaving the victim to die at the scene alone. ## Legal Arguments and Pleas Liam Slann has pleaded guilty to manslaughter, but the prosecution has rejected this plea, pursuing a murder conviction instead. Defense lawyer Elizabeth Mansfield acknowledged that her client caused the death but urged the jury to remain impartial. Meanwhile, Brian Slann maintains his innocence, claiming there was no agreement to commit murder. ## Joint Criminal Enterprise Allegation The prosecution contends that Brian Slann is equally responsible for the killing as his son. They argue that the father was a party to a joint criminal enterprise during the fatal encounter. This legal theory suggests that both men shared a common intent to commit the crime despite their differing individual actions. ## Emotional Courtroom Testimony The victim's mother, Kylee Butterick, was present in the public gallery during the proceedings. She covered her ears as the court played the distressing audio of her son calling for help. The defense counsel acknowledged the confronting nature of the evidence while reminding jurors to set aside personal feelings of sympathy. ## Discovery of the Victim Holdback was discovered by a nearby resident who heard the shouting and alerted emergency services. Despite the arrival of medical personnel, the 21-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene. The investigation relied heavily on multiple camera angles to reconstruct the sequence of events that led to the fatal stabbing incident. ## Judicial Process Continues The trial in the South Australian Supreme Court focuses on determining the specific criminal liability of both defendants. Jurors must now weigh the CCTV evidence against the defense's arguments regarding intent and agreement. The outcome will depend on whether the court accepts the prosecution's theory of a joint criminal enterprise murder. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/crime/going-to-stab-you-murder-jury-hears-chilling-threats-c-23141906 — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._