A Melbourne man, Emil “Bill” Petrov, aged 60, is set to receive his sentencing today for the murder of his estranged wife, Cindy Crossthwaite, nearly 16 years after the crime. The tragic incident occurred on June 20, 2007, at Crossthwaite’s home in Melton South, where her lifeless body was discovered by her father, concealed under a blanket, with blood evidence strewn across the room.
During a three-week trial held in November, prosecutors detailed how Crossthwaite, a mother of three, had been asphyxiated before being shot at close range. Petrov and Crossthwaite had separated in 2005 after nearly ten years of marriage and were embroiled in Family Court disputes regarding the division of their assets at the time of her murder.
The case took a pivotal turn as prosecutors suggested that Petrov’s financial concerns could have been a motive for his actions, particularly with the court proceedings scheduled to resume shortly after her death. Petrov claimed he was not responsible for his wife’s death, but after a week of deliberation, jurors found him guilty of murder on December 11.
Justice Christopher Beale is expected to announce Petrov’s sentence today, which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.