Terry Bishop a good Samaritan doing the right thing before Bruce Highway alleged murders

When Terry Bishop stopped to help a distressed woman on the side of Queensland’s Bruce Highway, little did he know he was putting himself in the sights of an alleged psychopath that would result in three alleged murders, including his own.

Husband, father and grandfather Terry Bishop was allegedly murdered along with two others after stopping to help a woman in distress.

When Terry Bishop stopped to help a distressed woman on the side of a road, little did he know he was putting himself on a collision course with an alleged psychopath that would result in three alleged murders, including his own.

Bishop was on his way to Brisbane for a family wedding when the beloved 65-year-old husband, father and grandfather pulled to the side of the Bruce Highway about 3.30am Friday.

A young woman he didn’t know, Gypsy Satterley, had jumped out of a stolen white Isuzu MU-X allegedly being driven by her enraged boyfriend, Rafferty Raymond Rolfe.

Gypsy Satterley, who was tragically killed on the Bruce Highway along with two others. Picture: Instagram

Whether Bishop saw the commotion or was waved down, or a combination of both, he let Satterley into his silver Nissan Navara dual cab utility in an act of bravery and selflessness that sadly sealed all their fates.

For 4km, Rolfe allegedly chased Bishop and Satterley south along the highway, before ramming the stolen Isuzu into the Navara, causing it to spin around.

Bishop and Satterley, two strangers united in fright, then drove back the way they had just come.

They were heading the wrong way, north in the south bound lane, with Rolfe allegedly still on their tail.

The chase continued for another two terrifying minutes, before Rolfe and his Isuzu allegedly struck the Navara again.

The results were catastrophic, with Bishop’s Navara careering into a third car, a Great Wall utility, driven by farmer Jessica Townley, 38.

Bishop, Satterley and Townley were all killed.

Jessica Townley, 38, was allegedly murdered by Rafferty Rolfe in a crash at Federal on the Bruce Highway on Friday. Jess with her partner Troy and stepchildren TJ and Montana. Picture: GoFundMe.

Late Monday, Rolfe, the sole survivor, was charged with three counts of murder.

The shocking events had left behind a trail of misery, police said on Tuesday as they confirmed some of the details of the alleged events for the first time.

“The information we received from Mr Bishop’s family was that he was travelling from Mackay to Brisbane for a wedding that weekend,” Detective Superintendent Ben Fadian said.

“He was travelling alone and he appears to be a good Samaritan who’s helped out a person who was in distress, and he’s a victim of circumstance.

“For him and his family, it’s a tragedy. He was doing the right thing, picking up a person who was in distress on the side of the road and this tragedy has befallen him.”

Families of the other victims were “still distraught, their grief is still raw, it won’t extinguish for them”, he said.

Meanwhile, Rolfe’s family has said his mother pleaded to keep him in hospital and off the streets on mental health grounds just days before the alleged murders.

Rafferty Rolfe, who has been charged with three counts of murder. Source: Facebook.

There had been a fight between family members in Yandina, 60km south of Gympie.

It resulted in Rolfe being admitted to Sunshine Coast University Hospital for treatment last Monday.

The next day, Tuesday, he was released. On Thursday afternoon, he allegedly held a woman at knifepoint before stealing her Isuzu in Gympie. On Friday, three people were dead.

“The whole time (he was in hospital) his mum’s on the phone saying he’s not well, he’s mentally ill, he has a long history of mental health,” a relative said.

“She’s saying to them, ‘you can’t let him go, please … don’t release him, please put him on a 72-hour hold’, calling Ryan’s Rule.

“(A mental health nurse), when they discharged him, actually said to her ‘there’s nothing wrong with him’ and that ‘it doesn’t matter, he’s going to end up in jail anyway’.”

The scene of the fatal crash on the Bruce Highway at Federal.

Ryan’s Rule was brought in following the tragic 2007 death from toxic shock syndrome of toddler Ryan Saunders, whose life may have been saved if hospital staff had listened to his worried parents.

It allows concerned families and carers to obtain a clinical review of any patient in a public hospital in Queensland and the treatment they are receiving if their condition is worsening or not improving as expected.

“I just want people to know that it could have been prevented,” Rolfe’s relative said.

Rolfe’s mother has made an official complaint to the hospital.

Queensland health minister Shannon Fentiman has confirmed a review is underway.

Emergency services on the scene of the crash.

“Obviously the clinicians will work with the family and take into account their views, but it is a decision for doctors and nurses if someone does not want to be admitted. They have a tough decision to make – it is very serious,” Fentiman said on the weekend.

Rolfe was back in the same hospital under police guard on Tuesday.

Superintendent Fadian said the accused killer had been in a relationship with Satterley for only about four weeks.

Some of those who knew the couple “don’t usually speak to the police” and were reluctant to share information about their relationship.

“I’d give them six words: Jessica Townley, Terry Bishop and Gypsy Satterley,” Fadian said.

He added: “For whatever reason, they won’t engage with the police, they live on the fringe of society. I would appeal to them that now’s the time to come forward and assist us with our investigation.”