New inquest into Gertsch’s lover

New evidence has prompted the coroner currently investigating the 1990 killing of gay Sydney millionaire Ludwig Gertsch to hold a new inquest into the death of Gertsch’s former lover.

Deputy state coroner Dorelle Pinch announced this week she would investigate the death of Roger Claude Teyssedre in conjunction with the Gertsch inquest.

The second inquest into the Gertsch’s death resumed this week, more than 16 years after the South American-born millionaire disappeared.

Gertsch was last seen alive at his former partner Vincent Esposito’s unit in Ashfield. His body was found in the Blue Mountains in November 1990.

A few months before his disappearance, Gertsch received the majority of Teyssedre’s estate, worth about $2.7 million, Australian Associated Press reported.

Teyssedre, who was HIV-positive and had been battling pneumonia, died in April 1990, but an earlier inquest could not determine the cause of death.

Deputy state coroner Pinch said this week she would hold another inquest into Teyssedre’s death because evidence received in the latest Gertsch inquest constitutes fresh evidence about Roger Claude’s death as well.

She said the evidence raised questions both in terms of whether there may be suspicious circumstances -¦ [and] whether or not he may have taken his own life.

A friend of Teyssedre told the State Coroner’s Court this week she was worried Gertsch had given too much medication to his lover and was keeping us away so we wouldn’t see, Australian Associated Press reported.

The friend, Denise Cousins, said Teyssedre was just drowsy all the time.

He shouldn’t have been like that.

Cousins said Gertsch was very nervous about something when she visited Teyssedre the night before he died. Another friend said Teyssedre had spoken about suicide.

The inquest continues.