British homicide, sentenced to life in prison for murder on 8/02/1999 after three hours deliberation by the jury. Dr. Kathleen Marshall, a veterinarian and the president of the Cat Protection Society, was stabbed more than 50 times on the head, face, neck, chest, arms and abdomen in an apparent frenzy by her attacker as she struggled to save herself. The murder occurred on an unknown date between February 25 and March 2, 1998. Her body was found near the door of her surgery in Brisbane’s inner northern suburbs.
With no witnesses, no known motive, no exact date or circumstances of the attack, the Crown had a difficult case to prosecute. However Fitzherbert came under suspicion and when a court order demanded that he give a blood sample, the resulting DNA tied him irrevocably to the crime. At the same time, Fitzherbert claimed that he did not know Marshall and had never gone to her home.
An unlikely killer, Fitzherbert was described variously as “a fine man,” “generous” and “highly respected.” He has a B.A. degree from the University of Queensland and is the author of four books. He has an enormous book collection and a reputation of being widely read and knowledgeable. For several years, he operated a second-hand book store. He and a partner (in business and personal life), Ruth Bennett, ran a coffee lounge at Stafford at which tarot card readings were held. At the time of the murder, he was working as a palm reader and astrologer. He and Bennett ran the spiritualist church at Windsor, where she was president. They had asked to join the Cat Society, a group that apparently had long-standing problems within its membership. There were allegations of corruption but any evidence was not allowed at trial.