Constable Keith Smith, 57, was killed at North Motton in northwest Tasmania on June 16 while delivering a court-ordered repossession notice, and Leigh Geoffrey Sushames was charged three days later with murder, attempted murder and aggravated assault. The 46-year-old pleaded guilty to the murder and aggravated assault in January.
Now the case moves toward its conclusion. A sentencing hearing, where statements from people who knew the victim are often heard, was set for May 14 in Burnie. Sushames will be brought to court for the hearing.
Smith's death was the first fatal shooting of an officer in Tasmania in more than a century. He had been remembered as a highly regarded and dedicated officer across his 25 years of police service. The beloved constable received several honours, including the Commissioner's Medal in 2011 and the National Police Service Medal in 2016.
Sushames has pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder of Sergeant Gavin John Rigby, who accompanied Constable Smith to the property. Beyond the charge of murder and attempted murder, Sushames is also facing 10 gun and drug offences, including possessing an unregistered firearm and a silencer.
The sentencing process will hear from family and colleagues about Constable Smith's character and service. The hearing represents the formal step toward closing a case that shook Tasmania's law enforcement community. Though Sushames has admitted to the murder, the court must now determine the appropriate sentence for the killing of an officer who responded to a routine enforcement action at a rural property.