Canberra Murderer's Disturbing Deception Uncovered in Court Documents
Chilling court documents have exposed the horrific circumstances surrounding a domestic violence murder in Canberra, revealing a web of disturbing lies and staged evidence by the perpetrator. Adam James Britt, 40, finally pleaded guilty to murdering his partner Tiffany Spence after maintaining his innocence for three years following his arrest.
The Killer's Calculated Falsehoods
According to newly released court documents, Britt called paramedics at approximately 5am on September 9, 2022, claiming his partner had just collapsed. During a 15-minute emergency call, the murderer falsely claimed to be performing CPR while spinning contradictory stories about the victim's condition. He told paramedics that Ms Spence had returned home "all beaten up" after being away for several days, while simultaneously suggesting she had been hitting herself with a hammer.
The autopsy report later revealed Ms Spence had likely been deceased for several hours before the emergency call was made. When paramedics arrived at the scene, they discovered a deceased and severely beaten woman covered in bruises and cuts, with a hammer "strategically placed" in her left hand. Medical professionals noted that when Britt attempted CPR in their presence, the hammer immediately fell from the victim's hand, despite Ms Spence being right-handed.
Revealing Physical Evidence and Subsequent Admissions
Paramedics documented several crucial observations that contradicted Britt's account. They found no evidence that CPR had been attempted before their arrival and photographed the killer's heavily swollen fists. Britt told emergency services, "I thought she was going to hit me. We were just in bed cuddling," attempting to portray himself as a concerned partner rather than a perpetrator.
Following his initial arrest and subsequent release, police installed a recording device in Britt's home. Two days after the murder, the device captured him stating that Ms Spence "probably got what was f---ing coming to her" and that the victim "deserves to be f---ing dead." He further suggested, "I think she might have been f---ing lying to me and that's why she f---ing died." Britt would be formally charged with murder five months later.
Horrific Injuries and Scene Details
The court documents detail the harrowing scene of Ms Spence's prolonged murder and the extensive injuries she suffered. Her cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma, with injuries so severe that first responders reported never having seen anything similar before. Approximately forty percent of the victim's body surface area showed bruising, abrasions, and other injuries, along with multiple fractures and significant blood loss.
The coroner definitively concluded there was "no way" Ms Spence's death resulted from self-inflicted injuries, directly contradicting Britt's initial claims. Some injuries appeared defensive in nature, while others indicated they had been sustained over several days leading up to her death.
Pattern of Abuse Leading to Tragedy
Britt and Ms Spence met in New South Wales in September 2021 and moved in together two months later in the Australian Capital Territory, where the victim had no local friends or family support. According to agreed facts presented in court, their relationship quickly became characterized by relentless jealousy, rage, and violence from Britt, who constantly accused his partner of dishonesty.
In a text message to a friend, Britt once admitted, "After about 8 hours of arguing I hit her." Ms Spence made multiple attempts to seek help before her death, contacting emergency services and support organizations on several occasions. In November 2021, she called police but then told officers she hadn't intended to do so. That same day, she informed Canberra Hospital staff she couldn't return home because it wasn't safe, explaining she had only been "permitted to leave" by lying about a medical emergency.
When workers from the Domestic Violence Crisis Service attended the hospital, a visibly bruised Ms Spence detailed a 48-hour period of physical abuse. She contacted the service again less than two months later with additional domestic violence allegations and visible bruising on her arms. After declining to make a formal police statement on that occasion, Britt told officers the injuries resulted from a bicycle incident and that Ms Spence was fabricating assault claims to obtain crisis payments.
Police felt unable to disprove Britt's account at that time, and no charges were filed. Approximately two weeks before her murder, Ms Spence called the territory crisis service again but claimed she had dialed by accident. She eventually sought assistance for temporary accommodation.
Final Days and Return Home
During Ms Spence's final days, Britt bombarded her with emails and messages demanding she return home while blaming her for his anger and outbursts. The killer repeatedly asked about her whereabouts and even searched online for "female refuges" in the area where she had indicated she was staying. Ms Spence eventually met with Britt and returned home on September 6, 2022, just three days before her body was discovered.
Chief Justice Lucy McCallum released the agreed statement of facts on February 10, 2026, following Britt's guilty plea on the first official day of his two-month trial in the ACT Supreme Court. The documents paint a comprehensive picture of coercive control and physical violence throughout the year-long relationship, highlighting both the perpetrator's deception and the victim's attempts to seek help before her tragic death.
