The sudden death of the man accused in the brutal double murder of a father and son in 2016 has rendered his court case null and void on Tuesday, giving little closure for the victim’s family.
Robert Twiss, 45, spent the last three years in custody, charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the grisly deaths of Alan and Matthew Mallinson.
The pair was found stabbed to death in January 2016 in the Barrie home that Twiss shared with the two men.
A neighbour says Alan Mallinson, 73, and his son, Matthew, 39, took Twiss in, allowing him to live in their home for several years.
During preliminary hearings, police described their interactions with the accused on the night of his arrest. One officer said he was bug-eyed and likely under the influence of drugs. The officer testified he noticed spots of blood on Twiss’ shirt. Another officer testified Twiss told police where the victims’ bodies were located.
“DNA, fingerprints, he was found driving their car… so it’s an extremely difficult case for the defence,” said defence lawyer Gregory Leslie.
The Mallinson’s had been dead for at least four days before being discovered in their bloodied home by police.
The judge requested Robert Twiss’ death certificate or the results of the post-mortem examination. Those documents will be reviewed on December 20, at which point the charges against the accused will be withdrawn and the case vacated.
