Fernando Paulino jailed for at least 25 years for murdering his estranged wife
EVIL killer Fernando Paulino will rot in jail for at least the next 25 years after being sentenced for murdering his estranged wife. Ms Paulino’s body was found in the garage of her mother’s Reservoir home.
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EVIL killer Fernando Paulino will rot in jail for at least the next 25 years after being sentenced for murdering his estranged wife.
The bloody body of mother of two Teresa Paulino, 49, was found in the garage of her mother’s Reservoir home on July 15, 2013.
She died from 16 stab wounds to her chest, stomach and back and had been bashed so ferociously she had a broken jaw and bleeding to the brain.
DETAILS THE JURY NEVER HEARD ABOUT THE MURDER OF TERESA PAULINO
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The 55-year old, who taunted his sons throughout the arduous court proceedings, was today sentenced to serve 30 years in jail — he has already served 912 days.
Justice Kevin Bell condemned Paulino for the savage attack, which he said was fuelled by “jealousy, hatred and rage.”
He declared Ms Paulino’s voice would be heard in defiance of family violence even in death.
“Teresa silently speaks from the grave,” Justice Bell said.
Justice Bell described Paulino as a cold and remorseless killer, who continued to deny any involvement in the murder.
The Mancuso family, including Mr Paulino’s two sons, were present in court throughout the trial.
They gasped on hearing the sentence by Justice Bell.
Outside court, Ms Paulino’s son Luke paid tribute to his mother.
“It’s a new day and the sun is shining today for mum,” he said.
“She was a fearless soul who put everyone in front of her. She was there for everyone else.”
He said he was relieved the process was finally over, describing it as “very stressful”.
Other members of the Mancuso family said they were very happy with the sentence imposed on Paulino.
In June, upon learning Paulino’s guilty verdict, the Mancuso family cheered and embraced.
One person yelled out “Justice”.
But justice had been a long time coming.
Homicide Squad Detective Sen-Constable Tony Harwood, who brought the killer to justice, quietly smiled.
It had taken the seasoned detective almost two years to put together the case that nailed the confident killer.
Paulino said nothing as he was shackled and led back to jail to die.
He had shaken his head in defiance throughout the sentence.
At an appearance in August, he yelled at his son Luke from the prison dock that he was innocent.
“You know I didn’t do it Luke. You know that,” he shouted.
“You know I wasn’t there. I was in the western suburbs.”
Paulino continued his rant despite warnings from Justice Bell that he would be removed from the court if he continued.
“It’s tragic. It’s horrific what happened to your mother, but I didn’t do it,” Paulino said.
His sons had been among the first to take the stand to give evidence against him back in May.
The jury heard his sons were asked to take a paternity test by their dad as he was worried his wife of 23 years had cheated on him.
His youngest son Luke said the request came about two weeks after he forced him to watch a pornographic video supposedly of his mother.
The jury was forced to watch the vile video, which showed an unknown woman performing a sex act on an unknown man.
Distinct moles on the woman’s face and chest would indicate whoever the woman was, it was not Teresa Paulino.
It was about a year before Ms Paulino would die and her ex-husband was gripped with jealousy.
He had embarked on a cruel campaign to blacken his estranged wife’s name and had sent the video to all and sundry.
Such was his hatred for Ms Paulino that he continued to malign her to police in the hours after her death.
Ms Paulino was in the process of turning her life around when she was so cruelly dispatched.
She had scored a dream job as a flight attendant, picked up work as an extra on television productions and had taken on a new boyfriend.
Luke said that while his brother Daniel refused to take the paternity test, he reluctantly agreed.
The 24-year old carried out a saliva swab test in front of his father, who took it away and never spoke of it again.
Paulino’s barrister Dermot Dann, QC repeatedly called Luke a liar, suggesting he had not only exaggerated his evidence, but made it up.
The jury heard Paulino’s hatred for his wife boiled over in the months before she died.
Paulino stood to seize control of more than a million dollars in assets if his wife disappeared, and he made no secret he wanted her dead.
Crown prosecutor Andrew Tinney, SC said Paulino blamed his estranged wife for all his troubles in life and hated her with a “white hot passion”.
“One day I’ll just explode. She’s gonna cop it. I don’t care if I go to jail. I’ll die. I just want to make her suffer,” Paulino told his son.
Lauren Vaccaro — the then girlfriend of Paulino’s son Daniel — said he told her he was prepared to murder his children to make his ex-wife suffer.
“He would kill the two most important things in her life,” she told the jury.
A court date over the family assets was set just days before Ms Paulino was murdered.
On the night she died, Ms Paulino had enjoyed a meal with her sons at her sister’s home.
It was a family ritual that continued well after she split from her brutish husband in January 2010 following an “incident” in Rye.
After dinner, Daniel Paulino said he became worried when he returned to the home he shared with his father to find him missing and the lights and televisions left on.
Ms Paulino had gone home to her mother’s house and had a shower in preparation for a date with her new boyfriend.
She was on the phone to a friend when she heard a loud bang outside and remained on it as she took a look around.
Moments later, at about 9pm, neighbours heard loud screams coming from the rear or side of their house in Massey Ave.
Paulino later told police he had been out collecting hard rubbish off the street and went to the shops before visiting his mum.
He was caught on CCTV making obvious efforts to back up his story.
But the footage revealed a more than two-and-a-half hour gap between the time he was caught leaving his Taylors Lakes home and showing up at the Watervale shops.
The killer had been careful to dispose of the weapon and change his clothes — neither were ever found.
But his story was full of holes and it was only a matter of time until Sen-Constable Harwood filled-in the gaps.
On June 23, 2015 — almost two years after the murder — he got his man.