A member of the public alerts police after finding the body of a dead man in bushland near Gorge Road, about 12km past the Katherine Hospital. Katherine police establish a crime scene and close one lane of Gorge Road. Detectives from the Katherine Investigations Section are investigating the death. Police are appealing to anyone with any information to come forward.

26 October 2011

The dead man has been identified as well-known local man Ray Niceforo, 41. Detectives from the Major Crime Division are continuing with investigations into what they call a “suspicious death”. A second crime scene has been established at a unit block, which belongs to the Niceforo family, on the corner of Quinn Street and the Victoria Highway.

Police believe Mr Niceforo’s death occured some time between Friday, October 21, and Tuesday morning, and urge anyone who has seen Mr Niceforo since Friday to come forward.

Court lists show that Mr Niceforohad appeared in court on Thursday, October 20 - one day before his disappearance - for breaching a domestic violence order and aggravated assault. He was due to appear in court again on Thursday, November 17. 40 Northern Territory police detectives, based in Katherine and Darwin, are working on the case.

27 October 2011

The Katherine Times is told an arrest has been made at a home in Katherine North. Police officers take  19-year- old Katherine man Zak Grieve in custody and raid his family’s home.

Witnesses see police officers carry white plastic bags out of the house.

28 October 2011

Police confirm they have taken Zak Grieve, as well as local men Christopher Malyschko and Darren Halfpenny. in police custody. Police say the death of Ray Niceforo is now being treated as a “very serious crime” and “a particularly brutal homicide”. Police officers raid a house on Donegan Crescent in Katherine North and search bushland in the area.

31 October 2011

Police say they have charged three local men - Zak Grieve, 19, Darren Halfpenny, 22, and Christopher Malyschko, 24, with the murder of Ray Niceforo. The Katherine men are also charged with aggravated entering of a dwelling with intent to commit an offence.

15 November 2011

Zak Grieve is being refused bail in the Darwin Magistrates Court.

26 November 2011

Bronwyn Buttery, the 52-year-old former partner of Ray Niceforo is the fourth person charged with the murder on the Katherine man.

31 January 2012

Darren Halfpenny and Christopher Malyschko appear in court at a preliminary hearing.

28 June 2012

Darren Halfpenny faces life behind bars after pleading guilty to killing Ray Niceforo. The court is told Darren Halfpenny, Zak Grieve and Christopher Malyschko were paid $5000 each to murder Ray Niceforo. Darren Halfpenny agrees to testify against his co-accused.

3 July 2012

Darren Halfpenny is being given a mandatory life sentence with the minimum non-parole period of 20 years for the “contract killing” of Ray Niceforo. Justice Dean Mildren recommends that he should be released after serving at least 14 years.

20 July 2012

Darren Halfpenny gives evidence against his co-accused. He says it was Christopher Malyshko’s idea to kill his mother’s former partner.

24 July 2012

Bronwyn Buttery, Christopher Malyschko and Zak Grieve are being committed to stand trial in the Northern Territory Supreme Court.

2 August 2012

Justice Dean Mildren schedules a six-week trial for Bronwyn Buttery, her son Christopher Malyschko, and Zak Grieve to begin on November 12 in the Supreme Court in Darwin. All three are pleading not guilty to murdering Ray Niceforo.

12 November 2012

The six-week-long trial against Bronwyn Buttery, Zak Grieve and Christopher Malyschko begins in the Surpreme Court in Darwin. The accused plead not guilty to the charge of murder. Bronwyn Buttery pleads guilty  to manslaughter by reason of provocation. The Court hears Darren Halfpenny bought a $300 bong, cannabis and Xbox games with the contract kill money.

13 November 2012

The jury visits Katherine to have a look at the crime scene.

21 November 2012

The jury is being shown threatening text messages sent by Ray Niceforo to Bronwyn Buttery. The court hears police has served him with a non-contact order in the months before his death. Members of Ray Niceforo’s family give evidence and his mother, Anna, agrees with claims that her son had a bad temper.

28 November 2012

Bronwyn Buttery admits she inadvertently paid for Ray Niceforo’s  killing.

5 December 2012

The Court hears Bronwyn Buttery suffered from a series of injuries and verbal abuse during her four-year relationship with Ray Niceforo. She told police she “wanted him dead”.

13 December 2012

The Court hears that Bronwyn Buttery saw no other way than organsing the killing of her former partner of four years, Ray Niceforo. She says her relationship was “hell” and she was scared of Ray Niceforo and that she thought she would not be safe while Mr Niceforo was still alive.

19 December 2012

The Supreme Court jury does not reach a unanimous verdict following the five-week trial of Bronwyn Buttery, Christopher Malyschko and Zak Grieve. The jury of five men and seven women have spent 11 hours weighing up the evidence in the case.

9 January 2013

After two days the jury reaches its verdicts. Christopher Malyschko is sentenced by Justice Dean Mildren to life in jail, with a non-parole period of 18 years.  Zak Grieve receives a life sentence, with a non-parole period of 20 years. Bronwyn Buttery is sentenced to eight years’ jail, with a non-parole period of four years.

Justice Dean Mildren says the NT’s mandatory minimum sentencing “brings about injustice” and recommends to the NT Administrator that Zak Grieve be granted parole after serving 12 years in prison.

Counsel for Zak Grieve, Jon Tippett QC says it is not just that his client has been given at least a 12-year sentence when he did not actively take part in the crime. “That is the problem with mandatory sentencing, it is just screwed up,” he says.