HARLEY Hicks became chief suspect in the murder of baby Zayden Veal when a wallet belonging to the child’s stepfather was found at Hicks's brother’s home, a court has heard.
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The lead investigator in the case told Hicks’ committal hearing on Thursday the recovery of the wallet linked Hicks to Zayden’s death.
Detective Senior Constable Tony Harwood, of the homicide squad, said prior to the discovery of the wallet at Joshua Hicks’ Long Gully home, Hicks had been treated as a person of interest in the murder, rather than a suspect.
“That changed our mind, finding (Matthew) Tissell’s wallet” Detective Harwood said.
The court heard a baton believed to be a murder weapon had also proved crucial to the investigation.
Police allege Hicks used the baton to break in to the home and murder the infant in a frenzied attack.
Joshua Hicks told police in a statement the baton was left in his home by his brother Harley.
A DNA sample taken from the baton returned an unidentified fingerprint.
Detective Harwood said forensic investigators were reviewing the baton to test whether it had traces of blanket fibres from Zayden's cot.
"That is being determined as a priority," he said.
Forensic officer Kate Outteridge told the court the results of much of the DNA evidence collected from the home where Zayden died had been inconclusive in linking samples to Harley Hicks.
Detective Harwood said police conducted a series of interviews, including from an undercover operative, before charging Hicks with murder on September 24 last year.
He said police established an extensive backlog of Hicks' movements, including a suspicious internet search history on the day Zayden was killed.
The court heard on the night of June 15 Hicks used a computer in Gisborne.
He searched local news sites and looked at a story titled 'Long Gully infant death'. The hearing is set to continue today.
