Man sentenced to life in prison

WAYNE Barry Rankin told his ex-wife if she ever left him and took their children away he would kill her.

WAYNE Barry Rankin told his ex-wife if she ever left him and took their children away he would kill her.

On one occasion during months of stalking and threats in the lead up to Briona Buxton’s murder, Rankin ran his fingers across his throat and said “‘til death do us part”.

Buxton’s parents heard this in the Supreme Court in Rockhampton yesterday before the 55-year-old was sentenced to life in prison.

Rankin pleaded guilty to murdering Buxton, 38, in Gladstone on August 20, 2008.

He also pleaded guilty to a number of weapon charges, including one count of unlawful wounding.

Crown prosecutor Michael Byrne said Rankin developed a growing obsession over Buxton. In March 2008, they separated.

Rankin didn’t take the separation well and began months of threats and stalking.

Mr Byrne said on one occasion, prior to him moving out after the separation, Rankin had taken naked photos of Buxton and told her he would send the photos to her employer to ruin her reputation.

Buxton believed she had been drugged at the time.

The murder victim’s parents moved to Gladstone for about a month in June 2008.

One night, when they were out at a restaurant for dinner, they saw Rankin walk past several times.

Mr Byrne said Rankin had run his fingers across his throat and said: “‘Til death do us part”.

In the lead up to her murder, Rankin assaulted a male friend of Buxton’s and left abusive messages on her phone as well as threatening to cut beams from the house.

He sought to have keys cut after Buxton changed the locks at her house.

On an occasion prior to their separation, Rankin threatened Buxton with the words: “If you ever leave me and take my kids away from me I’ll kill you.”

At 5.45am on August 20, 2008, neighbours heard a woman screaming and two or three gunshots.

A neighbour next door heard a woman call out “No!” several times.

He ran over to find Buxton lying dead and Rankin lying nearby with a revolver on the ground next to him after he had ambushed her in her Gladstone yard.

Rankin, who was a member of the Sporting Shooters Association, told police he tried to shoot himself in the head but the gun had “jumped”, and he was shot in the stomach.

Mr Byrne described it as an intended murder-suicide.

Rankin had served 825 days in pre-sentence custody. 

Originally published as Man sentenced to life in prison