‘It was an emergency’: Man who left dead woman with paramedics claims she was his fiancé

A Perth man who was located by police after a woman’s body was dumped with paramedics in Joondalup on Wednesday said the deceased was his fiancé and had died while he was asleep.

Luke Ritchie, 35, faced Joondalup Magistrates Court on Thursday on a string of drugs charges, as well as possessing a weapon and driving without a licence.

Flanked by six security officers, Ritchie represented himself, telling Magistrate Evan Shakleton that his fiancé died from a self harm incident.

He claimed that the woman died while he was asleep and that he drove his car without a licence to take her to Joondalup “because it was an emergency situation”.

Police began looking for Ritchie after he allegedly approached paramedics in Joondalup about 9.30am on Wednesday asking for help while carrying the woman.

The paramedics soon determined she was dead and called police, however Ritchie allegedly left the scene. The woman’s cause of death has not yet been identified.

Ritchie was located later that day in Merriwa and charged with several drug and weapon offences unrelated to the woman’s death as the coronial investigation unit continued to investigate her death.

He faced court in handcuffs after custody officers claimed he had tried to escape, but he argued he was just trying to see if a door would open.

“I just lost my fiancé,” he said.

“I wasn’t trying to get away … I was just seeing if it would open.”

Ritchie was granted bail earlier this month on a long list of separate firearm and drugs charges, including reckless driving to escape pursuit by police.

The court heard he was released to complete a drug rehabilitation program but after being released on weekend leave, he allegedly failed to return to the facility.

On Thursday, however, Ritchie argued he should be released on bail again, alleging the drugs police found in a bedroom at the Merriwa property were not his and that he wanted to be with his family and access the supports that he needed.

“I don’t want all this hard work to be for nothing,” he said.

Magistrate Shakleton denied his application for bail and remanded his new charges through to May 27 when he was already due to appear in court.

Crisis support is available from Lifeline on 13 11 14 and Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.