TWO days after her husband, Ron ‘Speedy’ Donaldson, was bludgeoned to death with a sledgehammer in broad daylight in the centre of Katherine, his wife Naomi and two-year-old daughter Nathalie faced his alleged killer in court.
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Surrounded by family members and friends, and carrying little Nathalie, Mrs Donaldson couldn’t hold back tears when Justin Osborne, the man charged with the murder of her beloved husband, entered the court room.
Outside of court Mrs Donaldson recalled the last few hours with her husband.
“At night he would kiss me goodnight and kiss Nathalie goodnight,” she said in tears.
“On Monday night he was playing with Nathalie and they were kissing each other.
“Kiss kiss, kiss kiss - and they laughed.”
Mrs Donaldson said the scene was so heartwarming that she took photos of her husband and their daughter - the last photos she would get to take.
“It was the last time Nathalie got to kiss her dad,” she said, cradling her daughter on her lap.
Mrs Donaldson said her husband - the owner of Speedy’s Fencing - went to work early on Tuesday morning and the couple spoke at around 8am and Mr Donaldson said he would call his wife again at around 11am.
When Mrs Donaldson had not heard from him at noon she started ringing his phone.
“It just kept ringing,” she said.
“He didn’t answer.”
Mrs Donaldson said she knew something was wrong when a family member contacted her and asked her to come to Ryan Park, where Mr Donaldson had been fencing at the back of Kintore Street School.
“I thought he’s had an accident with his truck.
“When I got there (to Ryan Park), there was lots of police.
“And there was no accident.”
The 41-year-old said family friend Rex Jeffery approached her at the scene.
“I was scared,” she said.
“I said to Rex ‘What happened, where is Ron?’
“Is he dead?
“He said: ‘Ron is dead.’”
Mrs Donaldson said the news was too much to bear.
“I wanted to see him, but I just couldn’t.
“I couldn’t take any more.
“I couldn’t go and see Ron.”
The widow said police comforted her at the scene and friends and family have not left her side since she has had to face the tragic news.
But Mrs Donaldson and her baby daughter are now not only finding themselves grieving for their loved husband and dad, but they are also fearing for their future.
“I have no access to money,” Mrs Donaldson said.
“I don’t know the pin numbers (to bank cards) and I am not an Australian citizen yet to get help from Centrelink.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen.
“I don’t have a driver’s license and can’t even go into town on my own.”
Family and friends are now rallying to help the family and hope the Katherine community will once again come together to help one of their own in times of need.
