Australian man admits choking to death tenant over $218 Airbnb bill

Jason Colton pleaded not guilty to a murder charge but admitted to manslaughter of Ramis Jonuzi, pictured, in 2017. Photo / via Facebook

A man has admitted in an Australian court to choking to death an Airbnb guest over an unpaid A$210 ($218) bill.

Jason Colton pleaded not guilty to a murder charge in the Victoria state Supreme Court on Monday but admitted to manslaughter in Ramis Jonuzi's death in 2017. Colton would face a potential life sentence if a jury convicts him of murder. He would face a potential 20 years if the jury accepts his death was manslaughter.

Jonuzi had been renting a room in a Melbourne home where Colton was also a tenant.

Jonuzi first rented a room for three nights on Airbnb, but agreed to stay another week for A$210.

But when it came time to leave, he could not pay the A$210 he owed to the man who had the lease on the house, Craig Levy.

The court heard a third man, Ryan Smart, also lived there.

Jonuzi had checked his bank account on his phone it "showed less than $10", the court heard.

He offered to contact his boss to see when he would be paid.

The three men (Colton, Levy and Smart) allegedly assaulted Jonuzi after he could not pay.

Colton was the first to confront Jonuzi about the debt.

He "picked him up and threw him against the wall and started choking him" prosecutor Mark Gibson told the jury in his opening statement.

Jonuzi died from compression of the neck and blunt force trauma.

The trial continues on Tuesday.