Graham Clive Sandy: Mirrabooka drill killer admitted ‘clobbering’ housemate who told him to wash dishes

A 51-year-old man lied to police about piercing his Mirrabooka housemate’s skull with a 7.5cm drill bit then confessed, saying he was annoyed the victim told him to wash dishes. Graham Clive Sandy is on trial in the Supreme Court of WA, charged with murdering Shane Davis over violence that erupted at their McFarlane Circle property on Halloween 2023. In an interview with detectives the following day that concluded about one hour before the 59-year-old was taken off life support in hospital, Mr Sandy claimed the victim was a heavy, annoying drinker and had injured himself. The accused said Mr Davis suffered a “nick” and was a “hypochondriac” who regularly called for ambulances, but the amount of bleeding “kind of surprised me”. “You’ve got a bit of a headcase on your hands here,” Mr Sandy said. “This is just another incident that he’s created himself. “Typical Davo, falling over, hurting himself.” Unconvinced, the detectives pressed further, saying Mr Davis’ injury was significant and didn’t look like it had been inflicted in a fall. Mr Sandy eventually came clean. “I hit him in the head because he was pissing me off,” he said. “It shocked me because he was bleeding out. “There, I said it.” He then revealed the attack was triggered by Mr Davis urging him to clean up while he made two-minute noodles. “The kitchen was clean anyway - that’s why I told him to get f...ed and clobbered him in the head.” Mr Sandy said he grabbed a drill that lay on the dining table, claiming it wasn’t plugged in. While confronting images were shown to the jury, a forensic pathologist who conducted the autopsy pointed to a curved wound showing the chuck part of the drill had made contact with Mr Davies’ scalp. She said she recognised tiny fragments of bone “reminiscent of sawdust” seen “routinely when we have to cut bones for autopsies”, using special saws or powered drills. The accused told detectives his decision to lash out with the tool “was just spontaneous”. “Just one dong and that was it,” he said. “I looked back and he was still laying there. “His eyes were rolling in his head - that’s why I helped him up.” When the detectives warned Mr Sandy that his housemate may die from a massive brain injury, he said quietly: “I hope Davo’s OK”. The victim died the next morning. About a fortnight later in a recorded prison phone call, Mr Sandy gave a different version of events to his mother. “I just donged him. He turned around and tripped over ... he fell backwards.” Mr Sandy went on to describe the scene as “comical”, claiming Mr Davis then “jumped up” and continued drinking. “It was just like any other day,” he said. Being put on a drip probably gave Mr Davis a clot, he added. Ms Sandy told detectives that after the attack, he watched SAS Australia, went out to buy cannabis then “sat back and relaxed, went to bed”. His defence centres on his intent. The trial continues.