Mark Sheridan Waden on trial for murder of Priscilla Brooten in Brisbane
Consensus Summary
Mark Sheridan Waden is on trial in Brisbane for the murder of his former partner Priscilla Brooten, a former American beauty queen who disappeared on July 5, 2018. The prosecution alleges Waden killed Brooten after she discovered his affair with a work colleague and subsequently covered up the crime by digging a trench in his yard, disposing of her belongings, and misleading authorities. Key evidence includes Wadenâs urgent requests to dig a trench the day after her disappearance, the dumping of soil at a waste facility, and his attempts to assume Brootenâs ex-partnerâs identity to deceive investigators. Both sources agree no forensic evidence links Waden to Brootenâs body or confirms the trench as a gravesite. The defence argues the case relies on speculation and that Brooten may still be alive, having fled or committed suicide. The trial, which began on June 1, 2026, is expected to last 10 days and will feature testimony from police, Brootenâs ex-partner, her psychologist, and others involved in the case.
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Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Mark Sheridan Waden is accused of murdering Priscilla Brooten on July 5, 2018, in Brisbane, Australia
- Priscilla Brooten, a former American beauty queen, disappeared from the Bracken Ridge home she shared with Waden
- Waden allegedly dug a trench in his front yard the day after Brootenâs disappearance, claiming it was for council compliance
- Waden allegedly hired someone via Airtasker to dig a 4m trench urgently the day after Brootenâs disappearance
- Waden allegedly dumped approximately 800kg of soil at a Nudgee waste facility in May 2019, with his vehicle captured on camera leaving the dump with a wheelie bin on a trailer
- Wadenâs defence argues there is no forensic evidence linking him to Brootenâs death or implicating the trench as a gravesite
- The trial began on June 1, 2026, in Brisbane Supreme Court and is expected to last 10 days
- Waden pleaded not guilty to murder at the start of the trial
- Prosecutor Andrew Walklate claims Waden killed Brooten after she discovered messages between him and another woman
- Waden allegedly assumed the identity of Brootenâs ex-partner Steve Thompson to contact the US consulate, claiming she fled to the US
- Waden allegedly told friends Brooten fled immigration police after her disappearance
- Waden allegedly gifted his new girlfriend some of Brootenâs belongings, including clothes, makeup, and a mobile phone
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Defence barrister James Godbolt suggested Brooten could still be alive, possibly having left the country under another name, committed suicide, or living under the radar
- Waden allegedly told police he lied to paint Brooten 'in poor light' during an interview
- Brooten was living in Australia illegally as her visa expired in 2009, and she relied on others for financial support
- Waden had initiated a 'relatively intense' new relationship with a woman he met at work while Brooten was still living in the home
- Brooten had started therapy due to 'significant strain' in the relationship caused by Wadenâs work commitments
- The crown alleges Brooten signed into Wadenâs Facebook account the day before her murder and found messages between him and his work colleague, leading to a 'huge argument'
- Waden allegedly staged a phone call to the US consulate to mislead investigators about Brootenâs whereabouts
- Waden allegedly disposed of Brootenâs car near her ex-partnerâs home and dumped her phone sim card
- Waden allegedly told someone his partner 'was an illegal' who had gone into hiding and 'no-one will ever find her'
- The trial will hear from Brootenâs ex-partner, her psychologist, Wadenâs then-mistress, and people Waden messaged after the alleged murder
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- Newscomau states Brooten was a US citizen living in Australia illegally since 2009, while ABC does not explicitly mention her visa status beyond her being in the country illegally
- Newscomauâs defence suggests Brooten may have committed suicide, while ABC does not emphasize suicide as a possibility in its reporting
Source Articles
Man dug trench for US beauty queen: court
A former Zumba instructor on trial for murder allegedly dug a large trench in his yard the day after his partner disappeared.
Beauty queen's accused killer allegedly told friends immigration took her
The murder trial of Mark Sheridan Waden has heard allegations he killed his then-partner Priscilla Brooten during an argument almost eight years ago, after the American former beauty queen learned he was having an affair with a colleague.