Expert bones evidence in trial of Bruce Anthony Coss, accused of murdering Darren Willis in Bingara in 2010

The Crown case wrapped up in the judge-alone murder trial of Bruce Anthony Coss in the NSW Supreme Court in Sydney on Tuesday after forensic anthropologist Dr Penny McCardle gave evidence.

The trial heard Dr McCardle had been involved in a search of a remote creek area near Bingara last year, after farmers made the shocking discovery of human remains.

The Crown case is that the bone fragments belong to 45-year-old Darren Royce Willis, who Coss is accused of murdering in 2010.

Dr McCardle told the court she assisted police in locating and identifying whether bones were human or animal, and the environments they were found in.

"The search area was what we would call gorge country," she said.

Dr McCardle said the fragments of skull that were found indicated two blunt force traumas.

The Crown case is that Coss bludgeoned Mr Willis to death with a baseball bat in the Bingara street their homes were on.

Prosecutor Liam Shaw asked if the trauma was consistent with having been caused by a baseball bat to the side of the head, but Dr McCardle said she couldn't say.

READ ALSO:

He asked if the damage would show up differently if it was a bat with a screw in it, but she replied that it was "difficult to say".

Whether it may have had a metal clamp around it, she said there was "no way to know".

During cross examination, defence barrister Michael King questioned Dr McCardle on whether the trauma could have been caused by a rock from the creek area hitting the skull.

She confirmed she did not know when the damage to the skull happened, other than that it was "wet bone" at the time.

Another expert was briefly called to give evidence on Tuesday, and separate statements were tendered to the court.

"That means the Crown case is now completed, Your Honour," Mr Shaw said.

The court heard a forensic expert would take to the witness box when the defence case opens on Thursday.

Justice Hament Dhanji adjourned the trial to Thursday.

It resumed on Monday after being suspended last year when the new evidence - including the bone fragments and clothing - was discovered.

Coss has pleaded not guilty to murder. He was arrested after a renewed investigation in 2019.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: