Ex-boyfriend of an American woman living in Australia to stand trial after allegedly murdering her

The ex-boyfriend of a former American beauty queen who he allegedly murdered in Australia two years ago has been ordered to stand trial. Brooten was reported missing in December 2018, but police allege that she died around July 5 after investigators dug up items at the home she shared with Waden at the time. She overstayed her visa in Australia by the time she was murdered Mark Sheridan Waden, 46, is also charged with interfering with Priscilla Brooten's corpse when he dug up his yard months after she disappeared The next day Waden contacted contractors about 'urgent earthworks' near the driveway of his Bracken Ridge house, according to evidence put before Brisbane Magistrates Court during a committal hearing, magistrate Belinda Merrin said on Monday. Merrin said telecommunications evidence showed Brooten's phone was used on July 6, but the prosecution alleges messages may have been sent by Waden. Police dug up the front yard of Waden's home in the Brisbane suburb, Bracken Ridge, in 2018, hoping to find Brooten's body Waden moved 8832 pounds of soil on two occasions starting on May 1 2018, and removed another 1014 pounds later in the same month Police conducted extensive searches using cadaver dogs in Waden's yard in July 2019.