ABC Stuart Rattle was found dead in his South Yarra home in December, 2013.

Melbourne man Michael O'Neill has pleaded guilty to murdering his partner, prominent interior designer Stuart Rattle.

Mr Rattle's body was found at the couple's South Yarra home, in Melbourne's inner south-east, last December after a fire.

Police alleged O'Neill killed his partner five days before his body was discovered.

Court documents allege O'Neill hit Mr Rattle over the head with a saucepan, before strangling him with a dog leash.

The documents show he then travelled to the couple's farm in Daylesford and continued to socialise as normal, as though nothing had happened.

A committal hearing for O'Neill was to begin today, but he instead pleaded guilty to murder and arson.

The court heard O'Neill was distressed in custody and lost 20 kilograms while in the Melbourne Remand Centre.

His lawyer sought unsuccessfully to have details of the case suppressed ahead of his plea hearing.

He was committed to the Supreme Court on September 19 for a directions hearing.

Link:
Stuart Rattle murder: Melbourne man Michael O'Neil pleads guilty to killing interior designer partner

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September 2, 2014 at 12:02 am by Mr HomeBuilder
Category: Interior Designer