Family begs for location of man’s body after killer jailed over ‘vigilante justice’

The family of Lachlan Griffiths who was abducted and killed have pleaded for somebody to come forward with the location of his body after a man was jailed for his manslaughter.

Billy Lee Bornstein, 30, was sentenced to nine years’ behind bars in the Brisbane Supreme Court on Monday after previously guilty to the manslaughter of Griffiths.

The victim was last seen alive in the Brisbane CBD on January 16, 2022, before his mother, Bernie, reported the 35-year-old missing 10 days later.

Lachlan James Griffiths was last seen alive in the Brisbane CBD in 2022.Credit: Nine

His family issued a statement outside court calling for information about the whereabouts of his remains so he could be buried at their local church.

“We beg anyone who may know where he is to come forward and give us this small measure of peace,” the family said.

Bornstein and another co-offender David Lee Tan, 42, lured Griffiths to a warehouse in Coopers Plains, in Brisbane’s south, on January 17, 2022.

The Coopers Plain warehouse where Lachlan Griffiths was killed.Credit: Reece D’Alessandro, Nine News Twitter

It was there that he was fatally assaulted by a third offender, Filip Grbavac, who believed Griffiths had committed serious offences against someone close to him.

“You and others decided to take matters into your own hands ... it was a carefully crafted and calculated plan to adopt a form of vigilante justice that circumvented proper investigation of the complaint and resulted in the loss of a life,” Justice Frances Williams said.

Grbavac died of critical head injuries after an alleged fight with another prisoner in February 2024.

Walsh’s body was found encased in concrete.Credit: Nine News

Tan is also due to be sentenced for Griffith’s manslaughter on Monday, as well as accessory after the fact to the murder of Andrew Christopher Walsh.

Walsh’s remains were found buried in concrete during a police search of the warehouse where Griffiths was killed.

The judge said Bornstein had not committed violence against Griffiths, but had helped lure him to the fatal “interrogation”.

“The plan was to cause Lachlan Griffiths serious physical harm in order to extract information from him,” she said.

“The violence must have been prolonged and extreme. You knew Mr Griffiths was being assaulted and in pain. You were aware of this and did nothing.”

Bornstein will be eligible to apply for parole in November 2028 with 721 days declared as time already served.

Prisoners in Queensland can be denied parole if a victim’s body has not been located and the parole applicant is found to have not co-operated fully with finding the body.

The judge said any consequences for Bornstein due to Griffiths’ body still being missing would be a matter for the parole board.

AAP

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