Accused wife-murderer free for Christmas

A NSW man accused of murdering his teenage bride and burying her in a shallow grave two decades ago will spend Christmas a free man after a jury was unable to reach a verdict.

Steve Fesus remains free on bail after a jury in the murder trial was discharged on Tuesday.

He has maintained his innocence since being arrested in July 2013, 16 years after reporting his wife Jodie Fesus missing on August 13, 1997.

A month later, the body of the 18-year-old was discovered at a camping ground near Wollongong following an anonymous tip off to police.

Fesus was charged with murder and faced trial in the NSW Supreme Court.

The crown alleged the 45-year-old was responsible both for killing his 18-year-old bride and for alerting police to the body, saying he needed her pronounced dead to claim social security benefits.

But Fesus has consistently denied killing his wife, and on Tuesday the 11-member jury in his murder trial was discharged, unable to determine his guilt or innocence.

Fesus will return to court in February to set a date for another trial.