Minns: ‘Full investigation’ into accused murderer’s cell suicide

Premier Chris Minns says police will ‘do whatever they humanly can’ to give Audrey Griffin’s family answers about what happened to their daughter after her accused murderer killed himself in jail.

NSW Police will launch a “full investigation” into how an accused murderer killed himself in police custody, Premier Chris Minns says.

Adrian Torrens died in his cell at the Metropolitan Remand and Reception Centre on Thursday.

The Premier says there will be an inquiry into how that happened, and the NSW Police will “do whatever they humanly can to give Audrey’s family answers” about what happened to their daughter.

Mr Minns said it was “concerning” that the man was serving a community corrections order when he allegedly murdered Ms Griffin.

“I can understand why many women would be concerned today.

“These acts of horrifying violence send a real chill into the community.

“Society and civic leaders and the community need to do all that we can to ensure that violence against women is never tolerated,” he said.

A supplied image of Audrey Griffin in Japan. Picture: Darci Tabone

“Full investigation: Premier Chris Minns at Friday’s Dawn Service in Martin Place.

The suicide of Torrens, 53, in his cell at the Metropolitan Remand and Reception Centre (MRRC) in Silverwater on Thursday afternoon, means The Daily Telegraph can now reveal previously withheld details about Ms Griffin’s death.

Torrens, was arrested on Monday and charged with murder almost a month after the body of Ms Griffin, 19, was discovered in a creek bed near The Entrance Road at Erina.

Initially, police were not treating her death as suspicious, but all that changed after Torrens made a phone call to an associate and confessed.

“Why did I do it? I don’t know, I do not ... I just f---ing clicked and I have no reason for my actions. I just did it, man. I was so f---ed up, you know? I was awake for four or five f---ing days, and I just did it,” Torrens said.

Adrian Torrens, 53, has been charged with the murder of Central Coast teenager Audrey Griffin. Picture: Facebook.

Before the confession, police had released CCTV footage of a man they wanted to speak to.

Ms Griffin was last seen on Sunday, March 23, at around 3am walking home from a night out on The Entrance Rd in Erina. Her body was found hours later in a creek bed.

Pictured is the arrest footage supplied by NSW Police. Picture: Supplied

Police believe she had either been bashed and left to die or was held underwater in the creek to drown.

She was visiting friends from Sydney on the Central Coast the night she died.

She had sent two Snapchat videos to a friend, which showed her walking home and linked her location on SnapMaps – a live map where a user’s location can be seen in real time by contacts.

Audrey Griffin’s body was found in Erina Creek on Sunday, March 23, 2025. Picture: Facebook

The Terrigal/Wamberal community was left reeling after the shock, unexplained death of Audrey Griffin, 19, whose body was found in Erina Creek. Picture: LinkedIn

She had earlier parted ways with her ex-boyfriend in the Gosford CBD, after drinking with him and another friend at a pub, saying she was going to take an Uber back to Terrigal. She never arrived.

On Thursday, hours before the news of Torrens’ death broke, thousands of people went to Terrigal Beach to remember the beloved teenager and demand action.

The crowd at the Audrey Griffins memorial on Terrigal Beach. Picture: NewsWire / Damian Shaw

Ms Griffin’s mother, Kathleen Kirby, addressed the crowd and spoke about the impact her daughter her.

“The love and support has been overwhelming,” Ms Kirby said. “Audrey brought laughter and warmth to every room. May your presence be today a powerful reminder we are not alone.

“Standing here today, we gather to stand for change. We stand in love and unity.”

Lana Ratapu used to swim alongside Audrey as part of a Terrigal Swim Group, and said she was almost like a second mum to Ms Griffin.

“She wasn’t an ageist. She would get on with everyone. It didn’t matter whether you were two or 102 she lit up a room when she walked in.

People place candles and flowers at the Audrey Griffins memorial on Terrigal Beach. Picture: NewsWire / Damian Shaw

“She was just a walking bundle of joy and love and light. She really genuinely was all the time, and her face would light up and smile when she saw somebody, and she was just genuinely present and with that person, she was always genuinely curious about how they were.

“She was, academically, bright and bubbly. She was so driven.

“She achieved more in her 19 years of living than most people do. Like, even in 90 years of living, I think she had, she had a driver’s license, she had a jet post boat, Jet Ski license, a boat license, and she just got a motorbike license. This was 19.

“She was, she was just beautiful, angelic, and she really struggled with people not being kind,

“Honestly, I don’t think I’ve met anyone that’s had as many best friends as what she did.

“She’s created a huge movement. Unfortunately, it’s her sacrifice that’s made that, that’s, that’s created that, and our job is to make sure that it wasn’t for nothing. She was genuinely angelic. She just didn’t have a bad bone in her body.

Ms Ratapu said she would leave a legacy of love behind.

“She will leave a legacy of how we can come together to learn from this and grow and identify where the gaps are in the system so it can’t happen again.

Originally published as Minns: ‘Full investigation’ into accused murderer’s cell suicide