Crown Towers Perth: Victim of suspected murder-suicide Alice Rose McShera cried in friend’s arms in the weeks before her death – as former mental health battle comes to light
EXCLUSIVE
A top lawyer cried in the arms of a friend who ‘rescued’ her just weeks before she was allegedly beaten to death in a five-star hotel.
The body of Alice Rose McShera was found in a suite at Crown Towers in Perth at around 11am on Monday after the 34-year-old was allegedly beaten to death with a blunt object by her boyfriend, Cameron John Pearson.
Pearson, 42, faced the Perth Magistrates Court on Tuesday morning charged with murder.
Daily Mail Australia can reveal Ms McShera sought comfort from a friend, who did not want to be named, in text messages sent just a fortnight before her death.
‘A A few weeks ago you cried in my arms and we hugged each other with happiness that you felt like you looked like your old self again,” the friend said.
The body of Alice Rose McShera (pictured) was found in a suite at Crown Towers in Perth at around 11am on Monday, after the 34-year-old was allegedly beaten to death with a blunt object by her boyfriend, Cameron John Pearson.
Mrs McShera sought comfort from a friend, who wished to remain anonymous, in text messages sent just a fortnight before her death (pictured)
The friend posted messages she had shared with Ms McShera in the days before her death, in which she appeared to be feeling positive and happy.
“No filter needed,” Ms. McShera captioned a beaming selfie.
‘This smile is all yours. Da b**** is back.”
In another message, Ms McShera told her friend ‘you have saved me twice now and that deserves recognition’.
Ms McShera was diagnosed with bipolar disorder after she went missing in bad weather during a girls’ trip to Bunker Bay in the Margaret River region in June 2021.
Police launched a search after she disappeared during a storm, only to arrive 12 hours later with no clothes on.
She spent time in a mental health facility before returning to her high-powered job in the family courts.
Ms McShera’s boyfriend Cameron John Pearson (pictured), 42, faced the Perth Magistrates Court on Tuesday morning charged with murder
The couple had been together since January when she represented him during a custody battle
It comes after Daily Mail Australia revealed Ms McShera and her boyfriend had broke up and got back together just weeks before her alleged murder.
The couple had been together since January.
Ms McShera’s friend, who did not want to be identified, told Daily Mail Australia the little girl had been in the hotel room with the couple in the hours before Ms McShera’s death.
She explained that the couple were on holiday together in Tasmania in September before they had a ‘big fight’ and broke up.
The friend didn’t know what their argument was about, but said Pearson “stayed away for a while.”
However, the couple rekindled their relationship in October when she asked him to help her move.
Last Thursday they checked into the Crown Towers ahead of a gala hosted by the WA Law Society the following evening.
In Ms McShera’s last social media post, she said she was ‘spending the night before my next surgery… drinking Dom (Perignon champagne), watching old DVDs and loving life’
On Sunday, Pearson was caring for his daughter.
According to the friend, the The couple returned the child to her grandparents at 5pm before returning to the hotel where Mrs McShera wrote her last ever Facebook post a short time later.
It had a similar upbeat tone to the messages she shared with her hairdresser.
“Spending the night before my next surgery… Dom (drinking Perignon champagne), watching old DVDs and loving life,” she wrote above a photo of the suite, which included the bottle of wine and a cot.
It is believed that the operation was a follow-up procedure to a previous stomach operation.
Later that evening, a family member called the hotel in desperation, urging staff to contact Ms McShera.
Ms McShera was found unconscious at the Crown Towers Hotel in Perth on Monday, next to Pearson, who was believed to have suffered self-harm.
Hotel staff found her body Monday morning. Mr Pearson was taken to hospital with suspected self-inflicted wounds before being charged with murder.
The friend said Mr Pearson’s parents are “devastated”.
He appeared in court on Tuesday, supported by his family.
About a half-dozen members of Perth’s legal fraternity sat in the public gallery, showing obvious consternation.
“I hope Cameron can remember what happened because… he didn’t even realize he was in court that day,” the friend said.
Ms McShera is said to have suffered a head injury from a ‘blunt instrument’
“He doesn’t know what happened.”
Mr Pearson was not required to enter a plea and twice refused to acknowledge his understanding of the charge, despite speaking to his lawyer Reid Hogan during the proceedings.
Instead, he shrugged in response to Magistrate Stephen Butcher’s questions before being led out of the defendants’ glass dock.
On Wednesday, his sister Jessica Pearson had tears in her eyes as she told Daily Mail Australia the situation was “terrible” but explained her family did not want to comment on the tragedy.
Ms McShera worked mainly in the Family Court and was based at the Murray Chambers in Perth’s CBD, according to her website.
She had over 10 years of experience as a lawyer and attorney and was a member of the Family Law Practitioners Association of Western Australia and the Law Society of Western Australia.
She has also appeared in the WA Supreme Court and Magistrates Court and previously worked as an associate to a WA Family Court judge.
Price Family Law paid tribute to their colleague Alice on Thursday, praising her ‘passion, skill, dedication and hilarious sense of humour’.
“Alice touched so many lives and was a fearless and courageous advocate.”
For confidential crisis support, you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14