The husband of a missing woman who turned up in a coma in her car last weekend, and his former mistress, have been charged with attempted murder in the case, which took on a twist when it was disclosed husband and wife had been members of a swingers’ Website.
Maria Korp was missing for four days until she was found in her red Mazda near the Melbourne Shrine of Remembrance February 13. But prosecutors may have to present their case without her—her doctors reportedly believe she is permanently brain damaged and unable to give any evidence, though her daughter, Laura De Gois, also said she still believes her mother will recover.
Joseph Korp and Tania Herman have been charged with attempted murder, conspiracy to murder, and intentionally causing serious injury in the case. Maria Korp is on life support and De Gois has yet to ask doctors how long she can stay on that apparatus.
The swinger site to which the Korps were signed as members with posted profiles has yet to be disclosed publicly, while De Gois is declining comment to Australian news organizations on whether her parents, or at least her father and his reputed mistress, had profiles on the site.
Korp and Herman are accused of planning to strangle Mrs. Korp, with some police documents cited that suggest the plan was for Herman to hide in the Korps’ garage until Mrs. Korp arrived to park her car inside.
Mrs. Korp first turned up missing February 9, and her husband issued a public plea for help finding her just before she was found in her car. The swingers’ Website itself is not believed to have had any connection to the case.
But there has been some concurrent Australian press speculation around Herman by way of her former husband’s mid-January death. Paul Herman died of a reported heart attack, but the Korp case has provoked speculation as to whether there were unusual circumstances involved, even though the Herman divorce was final before his death.
Joseph Korp’s attorney, Peter Ward, has accused the Australian media of turning the case into a soap opera. "My client has been charged with a serious offence that he is contesting, yet the newspaper and sections of the media are running this case like a soap opera," he told reporters. “It’s not on, it’s not right. This is not a soap opera, this is real life, a tragic situation.”
Ward added he planned to file for bail for his client, who had brought the younger of the Korps’ two children to the boy’s grandfather before his arrest.
“The courts are the forum that will determine the guilt or innocence of the accused," Ward said. "My client proclaims his innocence and will pursue that aim in the court, not through the media.”
