Mother Kallista Mutten in tears after trusting Justin Stein

Stein spun a web of lies, claiming he had left Charlise in the care of a house auctioneer because she was ill. He suggested his former criminal associates may have kidnapped her and pretended to be looking for her. He also pointed the finger at his then-fiancée, claiming she had shot his daughter, which Mutten denied.

Mutten said being accused of her daughter’s murder was “one of the most horrific experiences.” She said she was caught off guard by Stein’s lies that made it seem like she was “covering for him.”

“My beautiful daughter, I will always cherish your loving wisdom and will forever miss your unconditional love.”

Charlise’s grandfather, Clinton Mutten Sr., read a joint statement on behalf of his wife Deborah. He said the sound of the nearby school bell reminded them of their loss.

“Charlise was such a beautiful, caring, respectful, intelligent, thoughtful and loving person to everyone who knew her,” he said. “Her murder by someone she trusted, who she called ‘daddy’ and hoped would one day be a caring father to her, I think violates any sense of decency and trust.”

He said his last face-to-face words with Charlise were at the airport, when he told her: “Be a good girl and make us proud,” to which she responded: “I will, daddy, I love you.”

“Knowing Charlise as I do, I’m sure she kept her word,” he said.

Mutten Sr. said their trust in their daughter and Stein to care for Charlise was “misplaced.” He added that they had been accused of failing to protect Charlise and that it would “haunt our consciences for the rest of our lives.”

He wondered every day why Charlise had been murdered, whether she had been “stalked,” whether she had pleaded for her life or screamed his name or someone else’s “in a vain effort to get help before her life was taken.”

“These are questions that I believe will never be answered and will be a burden I will carry for the rest of my life.”

Crown prosecutor Ken McKay, SC, argued that a life sentence was “the only appropriate punishment” for Stein, a “remorseless person”.

“Charlise Mutten must have been very scared until the last fatal blow,” he said.

A .22 caliber BSA bolt-action rifle, engraved with Stein’s fingerprint, was found on a Mount Wilson fire trail in February 2022.

McKay said Stein had been tasked with looking after Charlise at the property and “went to great lengths to avoid being held accountable for his actions and even went so far as to try to blame Charlise Mutten’s own mother for her murder”.

Loading

He said the judge could find that Stein, who suffers from schizophrenia, was responsible for the presence of antipsychotic drugs in Charlise’s system, and that she was physically incapacitated as a result.

Defence lawyer Carolyn Davenport, SC, admitted Stein faced a minimum sentence of 25 years in prison.

Stein is scheduled to go to trial on Monday.

Get alerts on important breaking news as it happens. Sign up for our breaking news alert.