Prosecutor slams delays in double murder case of Tayla Black and baby Murphy

A Qld dad charged with murdering his young wife and 11-week-old baby girl told police what he’d done, a court has heard, as prosecutors demand an end to two years of delays.

It’s been two years since Tayla Black and her daughter Murphy Margaret were found dead in their Rockhampton home, leading to double murder charges against Matthew Cox.

A fed-up police prosecutor has objected to any further delays in a Rockhampton double murder case as the charged father’s lawyer made a stunning court admission.

Matthew James Cox is accused of the gruesome murders of his wife Tayla Black, 30, and their 11-week-old daughter, Murphy Margaret.

Police allege the 31-year-old left work early on Tuesday, August 8, 2023, and stabbed his wife and baby in their Bean St, Park Avenue home.

They further allege Mr Cox flew to Brisbane and attended the Fortitude Valley Police Station which led officers to conduct a welfare check at the Rockhampton home where the bodies of Tayla and Murphy were discovered inside.

In an update in the case in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on Wednesday, police prosecutor Mirren Smith objected to any further adjournments and delays in this case, unless it was being set down for a hearing to cross-examine witnesses and have the matter ordered to the higher courts.

“This has been going on for a very long time,” Ms Smith said.

Matthew James Cox, 31, has charged with two counts of murder.

“It’s been two years now and the brief (of evidence) has been available for a year, and they’ve (Mr Cox’s legal team) have received funding for toxicology.

“We want this matter to proceed.

“We have many stakeholders inquiring as to why this is taking so long.”

Defence lawyer Josh Jones said there had been some issues which have arisen since the last mention of the matter in October, including the Legal Aid lawyer who was handling the case leaving the legal organisation and the toxicology request not being sent to the toxicologist until November 4.

Despite hearing the prosecution’s stance, Mr Jones did request an adjournment of the matter to allow the toxicology report to come back, which he explained now had an expected time of arrival of December 24, and for lawyers to conference with Mr Cox.

He told the court he himself would be overseas until January 28 and then in another matter until January 30.

Mr Jones also said it was unlikely the toxicology report, whether it resulted in a referral or not, would impact a committal process – where the matter is transferred to the higher courts.

He said this was because of the factual circumstances relating to Mr Cox being charged were that Mr Cox “presented himself to a police station in Fortitude Valley and made full confessions”.

Ms Smith requested Magistrate Peter Kuskie make a special order for Mr Cox’s legal team to have a particular application before the court – that a cross-examination application be submitted by the defence.

Mr Kuskie made the order that Mr Cox’s legal team submit the application by February 25 and adjourned the two murder charges to March 11.

The court heard Mr Cox’s legal team take part in a different process to have the matters sent to the Supreme Court – a registry committal – by the next court date.

Mr Cox was remanded in custody.

He has not entered any pleas.