Domestic violence victim Jean-Louise Herholdt pleads guilty to fatally stabbing husband Sean Murray in back

A domestic violence victim who stabbed her husband to death moments after he bashed her was recorded telling him “I hope you f***ing die, dog” moments before plunging a knife into his back.

Jean Louise Herholdt pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of her husband in 2020.

A domestic violence victim who stabbed her husband to death moments after he bashed her was recorded telling him “I hope you f***ing die, dog” moments before plunging a knife into his back.

Harrowing audio recordings of a violent domestic dispute between Jean-Louise Herholdt and her husband Sean Murray during the fatal altercation at their Murrumba Downs home in August 2020 were played in the Brisbane Supreme Court on Tuesday.

Mr Murray can be heard telling his wife “no stop, stop. Stop. Come on,” in an attempt to placate her after he violently assaulted her in view of a friend and neighbours.

After stabbing her husband, Herholdt can be heard calling for an ambulance, saying “I love you, baby. I love you.”, and telling him, “you know I’m going to jail for this”.

Herholdt was charged with murder at the time but prosecutors accepted a plea this year to the lesser charge of manslaughter, accepting she stabbed him in anger without forming an intent to kill or cause grievous bodily harm.

Jean Louise Herholdt (left) pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of her husband Sean Murray, who died after being fatally stabbed at his Murrumba Downs home in August 2020.

Confronting audio of the assault upon Herholdt and of her fatal attack on her husband was played to the court in which both can be heard screaming and yelling and doors banging.

“In between those recordings my client was being beaten in her front yard and then dragged back inside,” defence barrister Andrew Hoare told the court.

He said Mr Murray was aware neighbours had witnessed him assaulting his wife and called police and that he tried to follow a previous tendency to attempt to “create a facade of calm” before the police arrived.

But an “understandably enraged” Herholdt ignored attempts by Mr Murray and others to calm her and the argument escalated before she picked up the kitchen knife and stabbed him.

The court heard Herholdt had been the victim of domestic violence at the hands of Mr Murray for years leading up to the fatal stabbing, and that he had financially controlled her.

Mr Hoare said Herholdt had managed to withdraw money to help her escape the violent relationship but that Mr Murray discovered it on the morning of the fatal attack and took it from her, leading to the violent argument.

The scene in Murrumba Downs in August, 2020. Picture, John Gass

She is heard on the recording making a comment to her husband as he lay dying, asking for the money.

“She had managed to withdraw a nest egg in cash which she had secreted in her room so that she could start a life away from that violence and that was found and taken by the deceased that morning and that was what she was requesting,” Mr Hoare said.

“My client had been subjected to financial constraints for years and isolated from her family and isolated from her friends.”

Herholdt has already spent about 27 months in custody and Mr Hoare submitted a sentence that saw her immediately released would be appropriate.

Justice Peter Davis reserved his decision and will sentence Herholdt at a date to be set.