Dale Lee Vella’s daughter shares devastation of mum murdering dad in sleep

The daughter of a woman who shot her husband in his sleep has told a court a court she was ‘functioning normally’ before the horrific act.

WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT

Almost exactly two years ago, a young woman’s “relatively normal life” was turned upside down.

Her mum shot her dad’s eye at close range as he slept.

Their daughter has shared the gut-wrenching impact of the crime in the NSW Supreme Court, saying she “didn’t see the signs” and had “no idea” what her mother was capable of.

In April, a jury found 54-year-old Dale Lee Vella guilty of murdering her husband, Mark Vella, at their property in the NSW town of Murrumbateman.

They deliberated for less than a day.

Dale Lee Vella (L) shot her sleeping husband Mark Vella (R). Pictures: Facebook

Throughout the trial, Vella argued her husband was difficult and responsible for the family’s financial problems.

On the night of August 9, she barely touched her dinner and placed a loaded gun next to her bed. The court heard she had planned to kill herself and did not remember pulling the trigger.

But the prosecution argued she killed her husband of 23 years so he would no longer be in the family.

In an emotional sentence hearing on Wednesday, their daughter told the court she lost both her parents that night.

“I really don’t know how she (her mum) could’ve done this,” she said.

“I acknowledge she had a depressive disorder, but she was still functioning. I had discussions with her that were normal and I had no idea she was capable of that.”

Mark Vella (L) would do anything for his mates, the court heard. Picture: Facebook

The woman shared how she was extremely close with both her parents before the tragedy — especially Mark, an outdoors-loving “larrikin” who would do anything for his friends and family.

While struggling to find the right job after graduating school, she joined the family’s construction company and enjoyed working with her parents.

“Life was good,” she said.

Until the unimaginable happened. Suddenly she felt she had no family.

She got pregnant for “something to focus on” but the joyful birth of her child did not ease her Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

“Everytime I close my eyes to go sleep, I think about my father. The image of him after the shooting is etched in my mind,” she said.

There was ‘no explanation’ for Dale Lee Vella’s crime, the court heard. Picture: Facebook

“Initially, I worried I could have done something for him. Now I know there’s nothing I could have done.

“My dad is gone — he has been taken from my life. I had my (parents) and they were gone in an instant because of one person’s actions”.

While admitting anger towards her mum has consumed her at times, she said she still loves her — something many people may not understand.

“She is still my mother,” she said.

Mark Vella was 52 when he died. Picture: Facebook

Vella’s lawyer Greg Hoare submitted Vella’s “mental impairment” due to depression and PTSD was “causative” of the offence.

But Justice Helen Wilson said she struggled to see how depression “explains what happened”.

“Lots of people have depression,” she said.

Mr Hoare responded: “Perhaps there’s no explanation, per say”.

“But (a psychologist) in my submission did put it above the ‘normal person in the street type depression’. She accepted it was significant.”

Mark was described as a ‘larrikin’. Picture: Facebook

Justice Wilson said she had a “bit of an issue” with a psychologist diagnosing Vella with PTSD, saying that’s usually done by a psychiatrist. She noted Vella’s PTSD symptoms, including her “intrusive thoughts,” stopped once she was in jail.

She also questioned Mr Hoare’s submission that Mark Vella’s instant death reduced the crime’s seriousness.

“His injuries were so gross and so severe he died instantly. So, on one hand you can say ‘yes, he didn’t linger in pain, but on the other, it’s because it was such a violent way to kill a person,” she said.

Mr Hoare responded it was not the common case where there were “prolonged, painful and excruciating circumstances; an awareness of what is impending for the victim”.

The sentence hearing was part-heard and adjourned until July 14 for further evidence about Vella’s mental health to be sought.