Reality TV contestant 'mentally incompetent' to commit murder, report finds

Tamika Chesser has pleaded not guilty to murder and to destroying the remains of her partner Julian Story. South Australia's Supreme Court heard a private psychiatric report found she was "provisionally mentally incompetent" to commit the offences, with both prosecution and defence now seeking a further report. What's next? The matter will return to court in February. A private psychiatric report into the mental health of a former Beauty and the Geek contestant accused of murdering her partner has found she was "provisionally mentally incompetent" to commit the offence, a court has heard. Warning: This story contains content some readers may find distressing. Tamika Chesser today appeared via video link in South Australia's Supreme Court and pleaded not guilty to murdering Julian Story, and to destroying his remains to pervert the course of justice. Mr Story's dismembered body was found in the couple's unit at Port Lincoln, on Eyre Peninsula, in June 2025 after emergency services responded to reports of a fire. A member of the public found the 39-year-old's head in scrubland east of the regional city a month later. The prosecution and defence today made a joint application for a further report into Ms Chesser's mental competence and fitness to stand trial. Prosecutor Eilis Noone told the court the defence had recently supplied a private psychiatrist's report from November 2025. "The opinion is that Ms Chesser is unfit and provisionally mentally incompetent to commit the offences," Ms Noone said. "In those circumstances the director does ask, as a joint application with my learned friend, for a further report to be ordered." That report was expected to take between four and five months to be completed, but the court heard "that it might be closer to three [months]". Justice Adam Kimber, who was presiding over the hearing, said that was "good news". "Hopefully that will come to pass," he said. Justice Kimber ordered the report, and scheduled the matter to return to court in February.