Crown Towers Perth death: Disturbing details emerge of how top barrister Alice McShera found dead in lavish hotel room – after posting photo of herself enjoying the luxury suite with a bottle of champagne
A top lawyer was reportedly beaten to death with a ‘blunt instrument’ after it emerged her family had made a desperate last call to the five-star hotel where she spent her last night.
The body of 34-year-old family lawyer Alice Rose McShera was found at Crown Towers Perth, in Burswood, on Monday morning.
Ms McShera’s boyfriend Cameron John Pearson, 42, faced the Perth Magistrates Court on Tuesday morning charged with murder.
WA Police Inspector Geoff Desanges told reporters on Tuesday that Ms McShera’s family had made a desperate attempt to get hold of her the night she died.
“A family member who wanted to reach one of the people in that room had spoken to Crown Towers,” he said.
The body of 34-year-old family lawyer Alice Rose McShera (pictured) was found at Crown Towers Perth, in Burswood, on Monday morning.
Ms McShera’s boyfriend Cameron John Pearson (pictured), 42, faced the Perth Magistrates Court on Tuesday morning charged with murder
Inspector DeSanges said a member of the hotel’s security staff then attended the room where they found Ms McShera had suffered a head injury as a result of a ‘blunt instrument’.
“The lady obviously had serious injuries from head trauma and the man had injuries that we believe were self-inflicted, so it would have been an extremely confronting scene,” Inspector DeSanges said.
Her death came just hours after she shared a post on Facebook about her hotel stay, telling friends she was “spending the night before my next surgery… Dom (drinking Perignon champagne), watching old DVDs and taking her life loved’.
It is unclear which operation she was referring to.
She also thanked her best friend for the hotel stay, a fellow lawyer whom she called “Lawyer of the Year.”
In the post, Ms. McShera shared a photo of the inside of the hotel room with a bottle of champagne, wine glasses, a beer and a Powerade bottle on a table in front of a TV.
Ms McShera is said to have suffered a head injury from a ‘blunt instrument’
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’
Ms McShera’s best friend Elsa Constant (pictured) said on Wednesday she had been concerned about her in recent weeks and had reached out
Ms. McShera met Pearson after taking him on as a client through her work as a family lawyer at a boutique law firm. They started dating in January, 9News reported.
Pearson was reportedly found by police in the hotel room and was believed to have suffered self-harm.
He was taken to hospital before appearing in court and will await his next appearance at Stirling Magistrates Court on November 22 while in custody.
The small courtroom was packed Tuesday with media and emotional family members and supporters of both Pearson and Ms. McShera.
About a half-dozen members of Perth’s legal fraternity sat in the public gallery, showing obvious consternation.
Pearson was not required to enter a plea and twice refused to acknowledge that he understood the charges, despite speaking with 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.
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.
Elsa Constant, Ms McShera’s best friend, said on Wednesday she had been concerned about her in recent weeks and had reached out.
Ms McShera’s family (pictured) were also seen in the cramped courthouse, along with supporters of both Pearson and Ms McShera
“If your friends tell you they are worried about you, please go and see someone,” Ms Constant said.
McShera was diagnosed with bipolar in 2021 after disappearing for 12 hours while on vacation, 9News reported.
Her father said she was a “beautiful, much-loved girl who will be greatly missed.”
In a tribute, Keegan Family Lawyers said: ‘Alice – you were a strong woman, a powerful woman, a great lawyer and advocate!
“You fought for those who couldn’t fight for themselves. You were a friend, a colleague and someone to aspire to.
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.
“Our community will mourn your loss! You will be so missed. I’m so sad.’
The $650 million Crown Towers in Perth includes 500 rooms and villas and opened in 2016.
“We can confirm that police responded to an incident at Crown Towers Perth earlier today,” a Crown Towers spokesperson said in a short statement.
“Our team is assisting WA Police with their investigation and we are supporting our team members.
“Any further inquiries should be directed to WA Police.”
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