A former contestant on the television show Beauty and the Geek, Tamika Chesser, has pleaded not guilty to charges of murdering her partner, Julian Story, and destroying his remains to pervert the course of justice. The plea was entered on Tuesday, August 11th, 2026, at the Adelaide Magistrates Court.

Chesser, 35, has flagged a potential mental health defence, with her lawyer informing the court that investigations into her mental competence are ongoing. Since her arrest, she has been held at the secure forensic mental health facility James Nash House.

Julian Story's dismembered body was discovered in the couple's unit in Port Lincoln, on Eyre Peninsula, in June 2025, following emergency services responding to reports of a fire. In July 2025, a member of the public found Story's head in scrubland east of Port Lincoln, which was confirmed to be his in September 2025.

Chesser was a contestant on Beauty and the Geek in 2010. She is scheduled to appear in the Supreme Court later this year for arraignment.

Warning: This story contains content some readers may find distressing.

Sources