Landsdale shooting murder: One accused in suspected ‘mistaken identity’ case pleads guilty to manslaughter

One of three men charged over an alleged murder in Perth’s northern suburbs has pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter. Matthew Harley Gempton, 35, Shaun Kinnane, 39, and Peter Nguyen-Ha, 34, are accused of being involved in what is suspected to be the botched underworld shooting of Ralph Matthews-Cox in Landsdale in January 2022. They are also charged over other alleged drive-by shootings in Girrawheen and Wanneroo eight days earlier. Mr Nguyen-Ha also faces firearms and attempted destruction of evidence charges, allegedly committed two days after the Landsdale crime. They were all headed for a Supreme Court of WA trial but at a status conference on Thursday, Gempton pleaded guilty to manslaughter via videolink from prison after striking a deal with prosecutors. The murder charge was discontinued and he also pleaded guilty to five counts of doing an act that endangered or likely endangered the life, health or safety of a person. Gempton will face a sentencing hearing on May 2 while Mr Kinnane and Mr Nguyen-Ha will face trial on May 12. At an early hearing, Mr Matthews-Cox’s death was described a case of mistaken identity involving an “innocent bystander” who was “in the wrong place at the wrong time”. The 47-year-old had two daughters in Broome and two stepsons, who were inside the Landsdale house when he was shot.