Man allegedly pushed off cliff into quarry after stabbing
A Queensland man allegedly suffered at least 40 wounds in a frenzied knife attack before his body was pushed off a cliff into a quarry, a court heard after one of his accused killers was refused bail.
Jai Gray was last seen alive in May 2024 before his remains were discovered in a quarry near the Glass House Mountains on the Sunshine Coast.
The 25-year-old man, from Morayfield, north of Brisbane, was allegedly killed by two men, Dominic Alaeddin and Jordan MacDonald, in what police described at the time as a “callous, brutal, unprovoked attack on a young person who posed no threat to anyone”.
In MacDonald’s bail application on Friday, the Supreme Court in Brisbane heard Gray was taken to an abandoned quarry on May 28, 2024, then allegedly stabbed multiple times and thrown off a cliff.
Crown Prosecutor Matthew LeGrand told the court the case would rely on the evidence of an eyewitness.
LeGrand said the autopsy report confirmed the method of killing, and an eyewitness described it as “a frenzied attack with knives.”
“The autopsy will reveal that the deceased had at least 40 stab wounds that caused his death,” he said.
Based on the witness’ testimony, police were able to find Gray’s body after detectives were taken to the quarry where the body was dumped, LeGrand said.
The court heard MacDonald allegedly admitted in a police statement to pushing Gray’s body off the cliff but not stabbing her.
He also allegedly admitted to destroying Gray’s phone and throwing away his clothes.
The court heard police found numerous messages in which MacDonald talked about fleeing to the US, where he planned to make a living by selling drugs.
Gray was living with the accused couple and the group had a strained relationship; Gray was not being paid rent and was instead receiving marijuana as payment.
The court heard Gray planned to evict Aladdin and MacDonald. The court heard MacDonald also told police the pair confronted Gray about harming animals and attacking women.
24-year-old MacDonald, who represented himself at the hearing, began his statements by explaining that he had prepared a written statement because he was “very autistic”.
She held the rosary beads she wore around her neck throughout the procedure.
MacDonald, who also faces charges of tampering with a corpse, said the alleged facts of the case are largely disputed.
He told the court that many of the statements presented by the prosecution were carefully selected, claiming that there were reliability problems in the witness statements.
He said if he was released, he would live with a family friend and make sure he found a job.
“I desperately need the chance to fight my case and prove my innocence, which becomes increasingly difficult while I’m in prison,” he said.
In announcing his decision, Judge Paul Smith said credibility would be an issue, but the indictment did not appear weak.
He said the prosecution’s key witness would claim MacDonald and the other defendants stabbed Gray and that he was heavily involved.
Smith rejected MacDonald’s bail application and ruled that the proposed conditions of release would not reduce the risks.
MacDonald was expected to have a hearing in July.
Gray was remembered by bereaved loved ones as a beloved member of their family and the Caboolture community. His family said he was a very vulnerable person, always generous and loving.
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Cloe Read is the Brisbane Times’ crime and courts reporter.Connect with: X or email.
