‘Unspeakable evil of its worst kind’: Group’s final act of indignity as murder victims sank to their deaths
Horrific details about how a man and woman spent their final moments inside a toolbox have been detailed in court before three of their killers were jailed for life.
Plunged into total darkness, kicking and screaming to break free and begging for their lives, Cory Breton and Iuliana Triscaru died in a “cold, watery grave”.
Four men have now been jailed for the pair’s 2016 killing in what a Supreme Court justice called an “unspeakable evil of its worst kind”.
As a final indignity, rubbish had been loaded into the toolbox they were imprisoned in as it sank into the waters of Scrubby Creek, resembling a “garbage bin”.
Family members of Breton and Triscaru revealed the extent of their heartbreak as Stou Daniels, Trent Michael Thrupp and Davy Malu Junior Taiao were each jailed for life for the depraved murders.
The three men also received 10 years’ jail for two counts of torture, to be served concurrently.
Waylon Ngaketo Cowan Walker, who was found guilty of the pair’s manslaughter, was sentenced to 12 years’ jail.
The final sentences bring closure to the victim’s families, who have spent years waiting for justice to be delivered.
Four other people have already received jail sentences for their respective roles in the pair’s deaths
Justice David Boddice said the actions of Thrupp, Daniels and Taiao were “despicable” crimes against two “defenceless individuals”.
“Those individuals endured hours of physical and mental suffering, including being locked together in the darkened space of a metal toolbox.
“Disgracefully, in their final hours, you deprived them of being able to look at each other … they were placed in that toolbox so each had to look at each others’ feet.
Daniels, Thrupp, Taiao had pleaded not guilty to murdering and torturing the pair while Walker pleaded not guilty to murder only.
After a three-week trial and just over two hours of deliberation, a jury last week found Daniels, Thrupp and Taiao guilty on all counts.
Walker was cleared of murder but found guilty of manslaughter.
Throughout the trial, the court was told Breton and Triscaru were lured to a unit in Kingston on January 24, 2016 where they were assaulted and tied up with zip ties and duct tape.
Breton had a photo of one of the men, Daniels, on his phone at the time.
Daniels was suspicious he was being set up.
The pair were forced into the toolbox and confined there for hours before it was driven to Scrubby Creek, near Logan.
There, weighed down by concrete blocks and tyres, it was forcibly sunk into the muddy waters.
Breton and Triscaru’s decomposed bodies were discovered in the box by police in February, weeks after they were reported missing.
Crown prosecutor David Meredith told the court on Monday that Daniels was the “ringleader” and the events were driven by his paranoia over Breton’s photo.
He said Breton and Triscaru must have known they were going to die while imprisoned in the toolbox.
“The psychological aspects (of torture) were appalling,” Mr Meredith said.
He said Thrupp showed “no remorse” through the events and continued to do Daniels’ bidding “right up to the end”.
The court was told Walker had the choice of not participating in the events but went back, either out of intimidation or to secure his supply of methylamphetamine.
Walker fled the country when he found out about the pair’s deaths and later lied to police.
In a tearful victim impact statement, Cory’s widow Miranda Parkinson said she had not been able to properly grieve the loss of her partner for years.
“It has been hard, painful for everyone who loves Cory but most of all for our daughter,” she said.
She began sobbing as she described Cory as an amazing father to their young daughter and questioned how anyone could decide why their life should be taken away.
“How can anyone think this is acceptable?”
Ms Parkinson’s stepmother said Cory’s life was “cruelly taken too soon”.
“You will never know the pain of having to explain to your grandchild that bad people had hurt her daddy and he would not be coming back home ever,” she said.
“Even at the age of 7, she still asks ‘Why?’
“What would you tell her? It was senseless and inhumane.”
Tamara Breton, Cory’s sister, said her brother was a selfless human being who had “so much love and time for his nieces and nephews”.
She described every day as a “rollercoaster” and found herself wondering “how much he suffered” in the end.
“He was an amazing family man … he was a great father and loved watching (his daughter) grow,” Ms Breton said.
“Cory was the glue that held our family together and this tragedy has absolutely destroyed it.
“The person I shared my childhood memories with is gone … I will have no-one to remind me of them.
“Every day is overshadowed by the fact he is not here to celebrate with us … I have nights I cannot sleep because it all goes over and over in my head.”
Victoria Duga, the mother of Iuliana Triscaru, described how her life was turned upside down because of the killing.
“We received a lifelong sentence because of your actions,” Ms Duga said.
Ms Duga said none of the men deserved freedom for their cruelty, describing how she felt overwhelming grief and loss for her daughter.
“It takes my breath away, joy is far away, all I can think of is how she suffered,” she said.
Justice David Boddice said Taiao, Thrupp and Daniels displayed a complete lack of humanity in the killing and were “devoid of any remorse”.
Daniels, Thrupp and Taiao will not be eligible for parole for 30 years.
Justice Boddice took into account the time all four men had spent in custody since their arrests in 2016 and 2017, which was declared as time served.
Read related topics:Brisbane