Danielle Easey’s year of fear before murder

A young mum wrote a chilling series of warnings just months before she was killed, wrapped in plastic and dumped in a NSW creek.

Danielle Easey was the target of a terrifying attempted break-in that left her fearing for her life months before she was murdered.

The 29-year-old mother of two young children was found dead wrapped in plastic in Cockle Creek, Killingworth, on the NSW Central Coast on August 31.

In a stunning development, police on Thursday arrested a 33-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman in connection with her death. The man was later charged with murder and the woman charged with accessory after the fact to murder and dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception.

In a statement issued just after noon, police also revealed a post-mortem examination found Ms Easey had been “seriously assaulted and stabbed”.

By all accounts Ms Easey, known as “Dell”, was an excellent and devoted mother but according to police had recently fallen in with a bad crowd.

It has since emerged the young mum also spent much of her final year living in fear after having been targeted in a series of crimes.

Intruders tried to break into Ms Easey’s former home in Belmont late last year — leaving a handprint on her window. She was so rattled she posted a series of warnings about it on a community forum.

In the same thread, she revealed further fears for her safety after a female friend was bashed in a nearby street attack so viciously she was knocked unconscious.

Danielle Easey, 29, was a doting mother of two young children who had fallen in with a dangerous crowd in the weeks leading up to her murder. Picture: Facebook

Police say Ms Easey had been couch surfing and hanging out with a bad crowd in the final three or four weeks of her life. Picture: Facebook

Ms Easey’s battered body was found tightly wrapped in plastic in Cockle Creek, a popular spot with yabby fishermen, on August 31. Picture: Peter Lorimer

In the lead-up to her murder, Ms Easey had been couch surfing in the Lake Macquarie area while family members cared for her children in the Booragul home she shared with her mother Jennifer Collier.

Police say three or four weeks before her death, she fell in with a bad crowd involved in drug-related activities.

They were desperate to find out where she was staying between July and early to mid-August, when they believe she met with foul play. Her newly itinerant lifestyle meant her family did not immediately realise she was missing.

Investigators have been swamped with tips and information since launching a public appeal for information on September 2 and are pursuing multiple leads as they hunt down Ms Easey’s killers.

“Strike Force Furzer detectives have been working through the vast amounts of information received,” Homicide Squad commander Det Acting Superintendent Jason Dickinson said in a statement to news.com.au.

Just months before she was killed, Ms Easey was the target of a worrying series of crimes.

On September 14 last year, several items were stolen from her car before the perpetrators tried to gain entry to a home at Church St, Belmont, as Ms Easey and her children slept.

She detailed the terrifying incident in a lengthy post to a Lake Macquarie community Facebook forum on October 2.

Danielle Easey, aka ‘Dell Louise’, was the victim of a terrifying attempted break in on September 14. Several items were also stolen from her car. Picture: Facebook

Ms Easey said a group of underage males had been terrorising the neighbourhood. Picture: Facebook

Ms Easey said she was ‘living in fear’ after the attempted break in. Picture: Facebook

In the same thread, Ms Easey recounted a horrifying assault which left a female friend unconscious. Picture: Facebook

“On the 14th of September my car was broken into as you know and stuff was stolen,” Ms Easey wrote.

“The thieves had tried to get into my house as the police found a handprint on my front window trying to push it up to get into my house, I thank the heavens they didn’t get in.

“The police were very great and got back to me pretty quick that the hand print was no match in the system.

“I don’t usually lock my windows I like the night air but that night for some reason I locked all my windows … No worse fear than living in fear in your own home.”

When another forum member suggests keeping her windows locked at all times, Ms Easey laments: “why should I have to lock my house up in summer and suffocate it’s not fair the kids have asthma I can’t have the aircon running all the time the grommets mate (sic)”.

Asked if she suspected it was somebody she knew, Ms Easey details a theory about a group of underage “lads” known to drink at an abandoned school in Belmont near the Gunyah Hotel.

When someone recommends taking a baseball bat to any future would-be intruders, Ms Easey replies: “Most definitely would use anything I had to if they were to get inside they definitely wouldn’t have left that house only by body bag or emergency but I wouldn’t go out of my way to find them and try find out (sic)”.

Ms Easey also mentions another frightening incident involving a female friend who had been knocked out during a violent mugging four weeks earlier.

Hundreds of mourners gathered at Danielle Easey’s funeral at Lake Macquarie Memorial Park and Cemetery on September 14. Picture: Peter Lorimer

Ms Easey’s boyfriend Benny Todd was granted day release from jail to attend her funeral and gave a speech in handcuffs and leg shackles. Picture: Peter Lorimer

Ms Easey’s brother Brendon (right) is comforted by a fellow mourner at his sister’s funeral. Picture: Peter Lorimer

Family and friends paid tribute to Ms Easey at a heartbreaking funeral service last weekend, which saw her devastated children weep as dozens of pink and white balloons were released into the sky.

Ms Easey’s boyfriend Benny Todd, who was in jail at the time of her murder, was granted day release from Shortland Correctional Centre so he could join mourners at Lady Macquarie Memorial Park Cemetery at Ryhope near Newcastle.

Wearing handcuffs and leg shackles and flanked by two prison officers, Mr Todd fought back tears as he told the hundreds gathered he would “never forgive” himself for being unable to protect her.

“I truly loved her and I’m so glad I got to spend what little time I had with her,” he said, according to The Sunday Telegraph.

Ms Easey’s sister Tahnee said there “weren’t enough words in the world” to describe how much her sister meant to her family.

“You were my soulmate and my best friend. You were a sensational mother, not only to your children but to everyone around you,” she said.

“I could talk for hours about you, but everyone here already knows what kind of person you were. You were one truly amazing person. I’ll cherish every moment spent with you.

“You never failed to make me laugh and you never failed to show me unconditional love.”

‘I’m so sorry I wasn’t there to protect you,’ Danielle Easey’s boyfriend Benny Todd, seen with her above, told mourners at her funeral. Picture: Facebook

Detectives arrest a 32-year-old woman at a property in Holmesville, a suburb neighbouring Killingworth where Danielle Easey’s body was found. Picture: NSW Police Force

Police also arrested a 33-year-old man at an industrial complex in Cardiff. Picture: NSW Police Media

Ms Easey was something of a local celebrity because she was born during the 1989 Newcastle earthquake.

After her murder, people posted photographs of “miracle baby” Ms Easey with her mother, who gave birth to her on the lawn outside Western Suburbs Maternity Hospital in the Newcastle suburb of Waratah.

Her dramatic entry into the world earned her the nickname “Quaker” and local newspapers would run stories on her at significant milestones in her life, such as when she gave birth to her first child.

This morning’s arrests made waves as police swooped on properties in three suburbs.

“Following extensive investigations, strike force detectives arrested a 33-year-old man at an industrial premise at Cardiff just before 10am today,” police said in a statement just after midday.

“He has been taken to Belmont police station. About an hour later, a 32-year-old woman was arrested at a home at Holmesville and taken to Toronto police station.

“Detectives subsequently executed two crime scene warrants at the Cardiff industrial premises and a home at Narara, and a search warrant at the Holmesville home.”

Investigators also seized a vehicle identified as a Mitsubishi Delica at Cardiff.

Earlier, homicide squad Detective Chief Inspector Grant Taylor appealed for assistance from the community to establish Ms Easey’s final movements.

“We know that Danielle was staying at different locations over the last three weeks and we are keen to establish where those locations were and speak to who she stayed with during that time,” he said.

“Of particular interest to us is any sightings or contact with Danielle since early to mid-August, and we are appealing for those people to contact us as soon as possible.

“Our investigations have revealed Danielle had been associating with people involved in drug-related activities over the last few weeks.

“We are keen to speak to any motorists with dashcam vision who may have been driving in the area of Wakefield Rd over the past three weeks.”

Investigations by Strike Force Furzer are continuing.

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