Fesus, a former bouncer and security guard, is accused of strangling his 18-year-old bride sometime on the night of August 8, 1997, after an argument at their Mount Warrigal home.

Ms Fesus’s decomposing body was found buried in a shallow grave at Seven Mile Beach a month later.

No one was charged after initial investigations into the killing, and the case was eventually handed to the NSW Police unsolved homicide squad.

Officers attached to the specialist unit arrested Fesus in 2013 after a lengthy investigation.

He pleaded not guilty to a single charge of murder, and elected to have a pre-trial hearing.

The hearing, which has taken place in Sutherland Local Court during the past two weeks, heard evidence from several witnesses, including Ms Fesus’ sister, Tracey Smith, who described an occasion during which her former brother-in-law choked Ms Fesus until she passed out, to demonstrate a “hold” he used in his work as a bouncer.

“She went like a fish ... and slumped to the ground,” Ms Smith told the court while giving evidence on Tuesday.

“She was unconscious for a couple of seconds.”

Ms Smith said she had often seen her sister and Fesus “play wrestle” during their relationship.

“As a way of Steve stopping her he would get her on the ground and put his arm around Jodie’s neck,” she said.

Ms Smith said she remembered one occasion in which Fesus told her then partner Darren about a hold he used both on Jodie and in his work, called the death hold.

“He said if you squeeze tighter they [the person] would pass out. He said he would use it at work [as a bouncer] to stop bigger blokes.”

Ms Smith said her brother-in-law then used Jodie to show her and Darren the move, wrapping an arm around Ms Fesus’ neck and tightening his grip until she passed out briefly.

The court also heard from forensic pathologist, Dr Paull Botterill, who carried out the post-mortem examination on Ms Fesus’ body in late 1997.

Dr Botterill said while he could not find a definitive cause of death, the circumstances in which Ms Fesus’ body was found – in the grave – ruled out accidental death or suicide.

He also said Ms Fesus was found with discolouration of the skin from possible bruising on the left side of her back, on the right side of her head and in a “V” shape around her neck.

At the conclusion of the evidence on Thursday, magistrate Jacqueline Trad formally committed Fesus to stand trial for the alleged murder.

Fesus will face arraignment on March 6.