Candlelit vigil planned for Ballina murder victim Lindy Lucena at Fawcett Park, Ballina on Sunday
A candlelit vigil will be held for Lindy Lucena after she suffered a horrific death in Ballina, allegedly at the hands of her partner.
Police & Courts
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A candlelit vigil will be held for Lindy ‘Kimmy’ Lucena after she allegedly suffered a horrific death at the hands of her partner in Ballina last week.
It’s expected the Fawcett Park gathering in the town from 7pm on Sunday will draw a crowd mourning Ms Lucena and calling for change after the alleged domestic violence killing.
Mayor Sharon Cadwallader is due to speak and the event is being supported by Ballina police.
Police officers found Ms Lucena’s body on Holden Lane, near Cherry St, early in the morning of last Wednesday, January 4.
It’s alleged Robert Karl Huber, 66, went into Ballina Police Station, spoke to police and that officers then found Ms Lucena, 64, dead in the laneway. Mr Huber denied murdering Ms Lucena.
No plea of either guilty or not guilty to murder was entered when his case was mentioned in Ballina Local Court on Thursday.
Ms Cadwallader said: “Lindy Lucena’s murder is a tragedy for Ballina.”
The case has led to the community coming together to generally raise concerns about domestic violence.
Ms Cadwallader said: “I’m sure I speak for every single person in the Ballina Shire, that we are heartbroken this has happened, and we need to keep working as a community to keep everybody safe from domestic violence.”
Ballina councillor Kiri Dicker said as a community, Ballina failed to protect Ms Lucena.
While not speaking specifically about Ms Lucena’s case, she said: “Victims of domestic homicide often live in violent relationships for years before they are eventually killed.”
Ms Dickers believed “someone would have known what was happening, yet said nothing”.
“It’s too late to save Lindy but we can save the next woman from the same fate,” she said.
Police claim in court documents that Huber had park security called on him after he allegedly beat Ms Lucena in their caravan in Reflections Caravan Park on December 26 last year.
The court documents also allege that Huber was freed from police custody before the murder despite the alleged assault and a lengthy criminal history.
Ballina Women and Children’s Refuge ambassador Mandy Nolan said Australian women marched and campaigned domestic violence on November 22.
"It’s hard to face because we love our town and community,” she said.
“This is an epidemic of violence that impacts women and families around the country.”
Friend and neighbour Nicole Bennett previously said Ms Lucena, known as ‘Kimmy’ to park residents, was a flood victim and “a lovely girl” with “a heart of gold”.
“She was the most wonderful girl I’ve ever met,” she said as she watched a NSW Police forensics team probe the couple’s former home.
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