The ‘confused’ husband of scam artist Melissa Caddick has started crying as he is being questioned about a discrepancy over his wife’s disappearance. Tensions are at an all-time high as a furious attorney questions if he is capable of reading.
On Wednesday, Anthony Koletti returned to the witness stand in the NSW Coroners Court investigation into the disappearance and possible demise of his wife.
Award-winning journalist Kate McClymont claimed Mr. Koletti looked to have begun sobbing after finding it more difficult to understand events in her podcast Liar Liar, which examined Ms. Caddick’s abduction.
When Jason Downing SC, the attorney accompanying Deputy State Coroner Elizabeth Ryan, asked Mr. Koletti whether he could read, the situation became explosive.
You can read, Mr. Koletti, can’t you? Mr. Caddick’s spouse responded, “I am so perplexed by your inquiries,” to Mr. Downing’s inquiry.
McClymont said in a series of real-time tweets from the courtroom that Mr. Koletti had been given a 15-minute pause to gather his thoughts.
She tweeted, “The coroner indicated the questions were valid but it has to be established whether he’s cognitively incapable to continue due to suffering.”
The coroner informed Mr. Koletti shortly after 1pm that he would be excused from testifying, saying, “If you are unable to concentrate on the questions and provide accurate answers that is not going to help me.”
Prior to her disappearance on November 12, 2020, he had already informed Mr. Downing that he believed Ms. Caddick had left the house to exercise.
He told police in an interview, “I didn’t think anything of it… she’s simply gone for a stroll which she does every day, not an issue.”
In the testimony, Mr. Koletti concurred that his wife had no routines, an erratic workout schedule, and at that point, generally ran on the treadmill.
On Wednesday, Mr. Downing continued grilling Mr. Koletti over this contradiction, asking whether he was now making an effort to defend his responses.
One of the stories must not be accurate, according to Mr. Downing.
I’m assuming that’s the case, Koletti said.
Why are you speculating? said Mr. Downing.
Because of how perplexing his inquiries were, Mr. Koletti said, “The way you speak is not how my mind works.”
“You have to realize that everyone has a unique mentality.” You don’t, in my opinion. If you haven’t noticed, I’ve gone through a lot.
While being led to his statement, Mr. Koletti, the uncertainty persisted.
You are able to read, right? said Mr. Downing.
Your questions have me completely baffled, Mr. Koletti said.
The location, identity of the finder, and timing of her phone were next raised. In contrast to his testimony in court, Mr. Koletti gave police a different account.
You’re essentially making the same mistakes you did before, Mr. Koletti remarked.
“I can’t continue to answer these inquiries,” you say.
Then his attorney Judy Swan intervened, explaining that while her client was finding the procedure upsetting, she wanted “it to be finished.”
He’s doing his best to respond, but it’s clear that he’s having trouble understanding the subtleties,’ Ms. Swan said. I’m not sure whether there is a mental or overall gap. He has been depressed for a time.
According to deputy state coroner Elizabeth Ryan, counsel’s concerns were valid, and it was her responsibility to find out if Ms. Caddick is still alive and, if not, how and why she passed away.
There was an expectation that Mr. Koletti would continue to answer questions, thus she questioned if he was psychologically unable to do so.
Mr. Downing said that although he saw Mr. Koletti’s desire to see things through, if he became very distraught, his testimony would not be helpful to the inquiry.
The investigation will proceed with testimony from an oceanographer.
On Tuesday, Mr. Koletti said he had always been honest but acknowledged there may have been times when, as a result of his stress and concern, his “wires were crossed.”
He claims he was unaware that his wife was scamming relatives and friends of millions of dollars, and he also didn’t question her about why federal police or ASIC agents were unexpectedly inspecting their house in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.
It was Ms. Caddick’s last confirmed sighting before she disappeared without a trace.
The disclosures follow the inquest’s viewing of a love post-it note and the anxious texts Mr. Koletti wrote to Ms. Caddick the morning of her disappearance.
When Mrs. Koletti did not get home by 7.16am, he texted her multiple times.
One enquired, “U ok?” Before he discovered her phone still charging in their walk-in closet, he asked her whether she had her home key.
Mr. Koletti said that as a surprise present, he left a set of earrings and a bright pink post-it note on her phone.
‘Melissa He added, “I know (sic) our love is deeper than goods (sic).
‘I figured one of your Christmas (sic) early could be to your liking. My whole heart.
On the NSW south coast, roughly 400 kilometers south of Sydney, Ms. Caddick’s disintegrating foot covered in an Asics shoe came up in February 2021 at Bournda Beach.
In stealing up to $30 million between 2013 and 2020, she preyed mostly on friends and relatives, according to prior testimony from Jason Downing SC’s legal assistant.
Elizabeth Ryan, Deputy State Coroner, is still conducting the investigation.