Michael Griffey’s son claims he has new information on the violent crime

A MELBOURNE millionaire was found dead in his garage in early 2006, up to four days after he was killed. His wife, his son and his daughter have all been suspects. Now, his son is breaking his silence, claiming to have astonishing new information about the violent crime. NEW PODCAST — LISTEN NOW.

Murder victim Michael Griffey and his children.

STARTLING new details have emerged about the murder of Melbourne millionaire Michael Griffey.

His son Kenny has broken a ­decade-long silence to deny he killed his father, reveal that he went to police with new information, and to give an insight into a case that gripped Melbourne in early 2006.

Mr Griffey, 45, was found lying dead in a pool of blood in a garage on his family’s sprawling Pakenham property on January 2 that year — up to four days after he was killed.

The suburban slaying resulted in a police probe involving arrests, ­charges and confessions — all from within the family.

Kenny Griffey was arrested but released. The murder victim’s ­estranged wife Diane was then charged with the murder, until their daughter later confessed to the crime. Police were forced to abandon the case against Mrs Griffey and never charged ­Cassandra Griffey.

A Sunday Herald Sun investigation can today reveal new information about the murder that has emerged since the case against Mrs Griffey was dropped in 2008.

Kenny Griffey denies his involvement in his father’s death.

Kenny claims his sister Cassandra bleached a pair of her jeans before handing them over to police.

Kenny, now 30 and living in Melbourne, claims a metal tool that was used to hammer in garden stakes was missing from the garage after his ­father’s murder.

He also said Cassandra, 16 at the time, gave police a pair of pants she was wearing at the time of the murder. “The pants were covered in blood but she bleached them so there was no blood on them,” he told the Sunday Herald Sun.

“I didn’t see a lot of stuff and I didn’t know about a lot of stuff while dad was alive. I have learned a lot more about my sister and mother.”

Kenny added that Cassandra and Diane travelled to Alexandra, where they often raced sprint cars, in the days just after Mr Griffey’s murder.

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“Diane told me she (Cassandra) was carrying a bag and she stopped on the way to Alexandra,” he said.

“She stopped to go to the toilet, she had the bag that she was hiding all the clothes in, and she dumped it.”

Kenny was arrested two months after his father’s murder but was ­released without charge after being questioned over his movements around the time of the killing.

Kenny insists that he did not kill his ­father. “I told them (the police) I didn’t do it, and at the time I didn’t know who did,” he said.

Cassandra Griffey outside court in 2008.

Kenny Griffey outside court in 2008.

“I’ve had to live my life with that (the accusation) on my shoulders. I haven’t done anything wrong,” he said. Kenny provided new information to the homicide squad in 2015 but he was allegedly told that only a written confession would result in new charges being laid.

Mr Griffey, 45, had run a successful business transporting plasterboard, but was in some financial difficulty just before his death, with a reported $1 million debt to the taxman, among other creditors.

He had life insurance policies worth up to $1.5 million, which police believed may have been a motive for the murder.

The policies were paid out but Diane was forced into bankruptcy on June 2, 2014, which her son says was because of a large tax bill.

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Cassandra moved to New South Wales after the murder, but received payments from Diane of up to $20,000, according to Kenny.

She returned to Melbourne six months ago and has a half share in a transport business with Diane, delivering plasterboard like her dad did.

The Sunday Herald Sun this week asked Cassandra, 28, for a response to Kenny’s claims, including a direct question about whether she had killed her father.

The Pakenham property where Michael Griffey’s body was found.

Police leaving the scene in Pakenham in 2006.

She replied: “At the time of my ­father’s death I had just turned 16 and was interviewed by the police without a guardian or witness.

“My father’s life was very layered and your ‘place’ in his life depended on what you knew about him or if you actually knew him at all, and not just what he wanted you to believe.”

Diane, 55, remarried after Mr Griffey’s death — to family friend Rod Meakins, who was also involved in the sprint car scene. Mr Meakins asked why the Sunday Herald Sun was “going back over that” when contacted last week.

“You would have to talk to Diane about that, it’s her business,” he said.

Diane did not respond to requests for comment this week.

The homicide squad declined to comment.

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Dianne Griffey remarried to family friend Rob Meakins after Michael Griffey’s death.