‘Wonderful tribute’: funeral held for family in WA farm shooting
Four children and their mother who were murdered on their WA farm have been farewelled at a service described as a “wonderful tribute”.
Two grief-stricken brothers whose father killed their mother, sister, three nephews and a niece in the Margaret River massacre have welcomed hundreds of mourners to a packed funeral service today.
Dressed in matching blue suits, Neil Miles, 32, and Tom Miles, 27, hugged friends and relatives outside a chapel in the West Australian city of Bunbury before the service began at 1pm (3pm AEST)
Peter Miles, 61, his 58-year-old wife Cynda, their daughter Katrina, 35, and her four children - daughter Taye, 13, and sons Rylan, 12, Arye, 10, and Kadyn, 8 - were found dead at their hobby farm at Osmington on May 11
Police believe Mr Miles murdered his six family members before turning the gun on himself, in Australia’s worst mass shooting since Port Arthur in 1996.
The Australian later revealed that Cynda Miles told a friend on the day before the shootings that Mr Miles’s depression was getting “worse and worse”.
According to a copy of the funeral service brochure, Neil Miles will deliver a eulogy, along with several friends of the family. Neil Miles lives in Perth and is battling a serious kidney condition.
Tom Miles lived at the farm but was not there on the night of the shootings.
Today’s service for all seven family members will feature songs by Bob Marley, Enrique Iglesias, The Calling, Sarah McLachlan and Powderfinger.
Earlier, Aaron Cockman, the father of the four children, greeted mourners at a separate service for Katrina, Taye, Rylan, Arye and Kaydn.
Dozens of children, some sobbing as they left, attended the services which featured music from A Disney Collection and the theme from Forrest Gump. It ended with Celine Dion’s How Does A Moment Last Forever, from the hit movie Beauty and the Beast.
Augusta Margaret River Shire president Pam Townshend, who attended the later service, said the funerals would be an important part of the healing process for the Margaret River community.
“This continues to be a devastating loss and pain continues to be felt by the wider community,” she said.
“The funerals will be an important part of the healing process but we know there will be much longer road ahead for many.
“Today is about those who we are farewelling and those closest to them. We want to offer them a respectful pause for this day and provide everyone with the space and time that they might be needing.”
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