Daughter shot dead after killing her mum had a troubled past

A 26-year-old woman shot dead by police as she stabbed her mother to death in her Lower Plenty home was previously charged over a home invasion and drug possession.

A young woman who stabbed her mother to death before being fatally shot by police was previously charged over a home invasion and drug possession. Facebook

A young woman who stabbed her mother to death in her Lower Plenty home before being fatally shot by police was previously charged over a home invasion and drug possession.

Police attended the property in Melbourne’s northeast on Friday about 6.30pm following reports from concerned neighbours that Carly Pirronelli, 26, was setting her mother Joanne Perry, 53, on fire.

Pirronelli, who was on bail at the time, was found at the Kett St unit plunging the knife into the neck and torso of her youth worker mum. She was shot dead by an officer after she refused to drop her knife and end the frenzied attack.

Carly Pirronelli fronted Melbourne Magistrates' Court charged with home invasion in March last year. Picture: Facebook

Joanne Perry was a youth worker. Picture: Facebook

In March last year Pirronelli fronted Melbourne Magistrates’ Court charged with allegedly entering a Kingsbury home with “intent to assault a person” in February, 2023.

The charge was later withdrawn in court, with prosecutors only pursuing a separate offence of cannabis possession.

Magistrate Belinda Franjic said at the time she took Pirronelli’s “lack of prior conviction or findings of guilt” into account.

Court records show she was also set to appear at Wodonga Magistrates’ Court for a hearing on April 23.

The mother and daughter appeared to have a close relationship before the horrific attack took place, with pictures posted to social media showing them hugging in front of a Christmas tree and on holiday in Queensland.

Pictures posted to social media show the mother and daughter on holiday in Queensland. Picture: Facebook

Acting Superintendent Scott Colson on Saturday defended the decision of one of the officers, with four years’ experience, to fire his gun.

However, he could not confirm how many shots were fired, how far away the woman was from the officers and where in the body the woman was shot.

The officers were not armed with tasers, he confirmed.

Police at the scene of a fatal stabbing in Lower Plenty. Picture: David Crosling

“No member wants to go to work expecting or wanting to draw their firearm. It’s a terrible situation, which they dread,” he said.

“They were confronted with a terrible dilemma and they’ve acted absolutely appropriately within their training and within the guidelines.”

Both women were treated by paramedics, but pronounced dead at the scene.

Superintendent Colson said Ms Perry’s daughter was known to police in relation to the relationship with her mother, but that there was nothing preventing her from being at the mother’s property.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.