Inquest into death of Garry Dubois hears he told an inmate he wanted to kill himself

The haunting final moments of one of Queensland’s most notorious murderers have been revealed, including an explosive jail cell confession.

One of Queensland’s most notorious murderers phoned his wife and daughter to say goodbye just hours before he killed himself, an inquest into his death has revealed.

Garry Reginald Dubois took his own life in his single-occupant cell at Maryborough Correctional Centre in June 2021.

An inquest into his death held at Brisbane Magistrates Court on Tuesday has probed his treatment at the centre and whether his death could have been prevented.

Dubois, 74 at the time of his death, had been sentenced to life in prison in 2016 for raping and murdering Leanne McCulkin, 11, and her sister Vicki, 13, in 1974.

He was also found guilty of the manslaughter of their mother Barbara McCulkin, who was 34 when she died.

Trials held for Dubois and accomplice Vincent O’Dempsey, who is serving life in jail for the triple murders, heard that the pair took Mrs McCulkin and her daughters from their Highgate Hill home on January 16, 1974 and drove them to bushland near Warwick.

Barbara McCulkin (right) and her daughters Vicky (left) and Leanne (centre) disappeared from their home on January 16, 1974. Contributed

The jury was told O’Dempsey took Mrs McCulkin away from the children and returned to kill the girls.

They were told O’Dempsey may have been motivated by a desire to keep Mrs McCulkin quiet, due to fears she could link him to the firebombing of the Whiskey Au Go Go nightclub in 1973, that resulted in the deaths of 15 people.

Dubois died in his cell a week before the inquest into the Whiskey Au Go Go nightclub firebombing was set to begin.

Garry Dubois took his own life in his jail cell.

During Dubois’s inquest on Tuesday, Acting Deputy Commissioner of Custodial Operations Eloise Hamlett said Queensland Corrective Services had not been informed that Mr Dubois would have any involvement in the Whiskey Au Go Go inquest.

“We weren’t aware of what could have been a critical risk period,” she said.

Ms Hamlett said if they had been aware, then the risk process would have been activated and Dubois would have been assessed.

She said there had been no behavioural indicators or any information provided to suggest Dubois was at risk. He had no self harm or suicide history.

She offered her condolences to Dubois’s family, but said she didn’t think there was “anything different that (they) could have done” given the information they had.

A photo of Garry Reginald 'Shorty' Dubois from the 1970s.

The inquest heard Dubois had phoned his wife and daughter to say goodbye during the day, before the prisoners were locked down overnight.

Dubois had also told a fellow inmate that he wanted to kill himself, the inquest heard.

Corrections inspector Janelle McHaffe, who conducted a review on Dubois’s death, said there had been no indications to staff that he had intended to commit suicide.

Ms McHaffe said it was not “operationally viable” for prisons to monitor all inmates calls on a live basis, and that they would only do so if they had information suggesting it was necessary.

The inquest also heard evidence from Correctional Supervisor Beth Shostakowski, who recounted finding Dubois lying on the floor of his cell around 4.45am on June 7.

“Very unfortunately for Garry he was definitely deceased when we opened the door,” Ms Shostakowski said.

“ … His mouth was wide open and he was – I can’t even describe the colour of his skin.”

Garry Dubois’s daughter Nicole and her husband leave the inquest into the killer’s death. Picture David Clark

Ms Shostakowski acknowledged that CPR was not commenced immediately, despite the inquest hearing that was the protocol.

She said she originally declared it a crime scene, but the staff commenced chest compressions after they “realised what had happened”.

Ms McHaffe said she understood the officers who found Dubois’s body had “were in shock” and “froze”.

But she said alternative or more prompt resuscitation efforts would not have made any difference in Dubois’s case.

LETTER FOUND WITH KILLER’S BODY

Dubois’s daughter Nicole attended the inquest with her partner but made no comment to media outside. She read out a statement in court at the conclusion of the inquest, sharing cherished memories of who her dad was to her.

“We always had a good laugh together, dad and I – and as you know, that was taken away,” she said.

She described Dubois’s love of dogs and fishing, along with how he supported her after the 2007 crash that left her with a brain injury.

“Dad was my best friend and he was my teacher.”

Counsel assisting Carolyn McKeon told the inquest in her closing submissions on Tuesday afternoon how Dubois’s body had been found with a letter to his wife and daughter.

“The content is objectively a goodbye to them, both in the event quote unquote ‘the old ticker has had enough’ – that is he died suddenly from his heart condition.”

The inquest was told Dubois had had ongoing heart issues but was otherwise considered in good health, with no diagnosed mental health conditions.

Ms McKeon said he had worked in prison as a unit cleaner and had been described as a “polite” and “compliant” person who generally kept to himself.

She said he had not been considered a high-risk prisoner, but was a “protected prisoner” and kept in a single occupancy cell due to the nature of his convictions.

Dubois had last been seen “alive and well” during a headcount at 8.40pm on June 6, and the door to his cell was not opened again until he was found dead the following morning, she said.

Counsel for Queensland Corrective Services Jessica Franco said there had been some suggestion Dubois was expected to give evidence at the Whiskey Au Go Go inquest, and that he took his life because of that impending proceeding.

“In my submission, that’s just speculation,” she said.

“There is no evidence that QCS was in receipt of any formal documentation that he was to be called as a witness.”

Deputy State Coroner Stephanie Gallagher will publish her findings at a later date.