Perth woman Karen Salkilld ‘inspired by movie’ to fake own death for $700,000 insurance payout

Prosecutors have detailed how a Perth mother who faked her own death for a hefty insurance payout finally came unstuck.

Karen Salkilld was inspired by a movie when she pretended to die to try to secure more than $700,000.

The F45 trainer, who previously pleaded guilty to gains benefit by fraud and intent to defraud using a false record, faced court again on Friday over her elaborate web of lies.

She almost got away with it, and prosecutors have revealed how her plan eventually unravelled.

Web of lies

Salkilld pretended to be her ex-partner and claimed she died in a car crash in Broome in December.

The court was told she started a life insurance claim, lodging falsified documents including a death certificate and coroner’s report.

A week later, the insurance company paid more than $700,000 into a bank account opened by the 42-year-old in her ex-partner’s name.

But when the fitness instructor moved some of the money around, the bank flagged it as suspicious and froze the account.

Salkilld visited Palmyra Police Station to certify her fake documents but after three visits, officers realised something was up and she was arrested in March.

Salkilld admitted the idea to fake her own death came to her from a movie, although it was not specified which one.

Her defence called the plan an amateurish brain snap with no thought to the consequences.

She was due to be sentenced on Friday but prosecutors did not have the exact amount she owed the insurance company.

Salkilld is staring down a maximum penalty of seven years behind bars.

She will be sentenced later in October.