Street beggar lit fatal fire that killed ex-partner and her daughter
An abusive street beggar has admitted to a triple murder after deliberately setting fire to an abandoned factory where his former partner, her daughter and new boyfriend were squatting.
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EXCLUSIVE: An abusive street beggar has admitted to a triple murder after deliberately setting fire to an abandoned factory where his former partner, her daughter and new boyfriend were squatting.
Darren Clover, 53, took a can of petrol to where his former partner, Tanya Burmeister, was living with her new boyfriend, David Griffiths, and her daughter, Zoe Burmeister, 15.
They were squatting in a small room at the rear of an abandoned Footscray rope factory on March 1 last year when Clover decided to set the room where they were sleeping alight.
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Clover, of Delahey, previously had threatened to burn Ms Burmeister to death in the weeks leading up to the arson attack.
He filled a can with petrol at a Caltex service station on Gordon St before throwing the fuel across the only route to escape the fire.
The fire caused an explosion, leaving no chance of survival for the victims inside, with mother and daughter found huddled together after the flames were extinguished.
Clover had attempted to negotiate a manslaughter plea deal during pre-trial hearings, but last month pleaded guilty to the three counts of murder.
CCTV footage shows people trying to douse the flames in a failed attempt to save the three.
Shaylee Tennyson, Tanya’s sister and Zoe’s aunt, said the authorities had failed them.
“Tanya was in a domestic abuse situation. He (Clover) found her and punished her for leaving him,’’ Ms Tennyson said.
“My family members were murdered and Darren Clover knew Zoe was there.
“He was heard saying from the factory, ‘You don’t love me any more’.’’
Ms Tennyson said an inquiry was urgent.
“Nobody gets held accountable for their actions,’’ she said.
“There’s no safety net. They failed my niece and my sister on every possible level.”
Ms Tennyson said her sister’s history of being a victim of domestic abuse resulted in Zoe’s involvement with authorities.
She said it was critical their deaths shone a light on how the vulnerable in society were most at risk from domestic violence.
“I don’t want them to be statistics,” she said. “I don’t want them to be forgotten.”
The case will be heard in the Supreme Court on Tuesday.