Hobart teenager who killed Taroona dad Reid Ludwig released back into the community

A teenage boy who fatally stabbed Taroona dad Reid Ludwig in 2019 has been released. Mr Ludwig’s family are worried he could reoffend, but are hopeful he can be rehabilitated.

Stabbing victim Reid Ludwig, left. Picture: Facebook

A TEENAGER who stabbed a Taroona dad to death outside a service station in 2019 has been released back into the community.

The youth, now 19, was found unfit by a jury last year to stand trial over the manslaughter of 41-year-old Reid Ludwig – and was granted release in January.

However a suppression order preventing media coverage of the case has meant the details of the boy’s case and his release had been withheld from publication.

That suppression order was finally lifted on Thursday.

The boy, then 16, stabbed Mr Ludwig outside a Coles Express service station at Blackmans Bay on November 24, 2019.

Mr Ludwig, 41, who had been returning a trailer to the store with his family at the time, died shortly afterwards at Royal Hobart Hospital.

The boy was initially charged with murder – but the charge was downgraded to manslaughter in 2021.

Reid Ludwig. Picture: Facebook

In her order made on January 10, Supreme Court judge Helen Wood said the incident had been captured on CCTV footage, with the boy attending the service station with his sister and her boyfriend.

As Mr Ludwig left the service station, an altercation broke out between him and the sister’s boyfriend.

Justice Wood said during the altercation, the boy took out a large knife from his backpack, stabbing Mr Ludwig to the abdomen once.

Immediately afterwards, he said to his sister’s boyfriend, “I shouldn’t have done that”, and to his sister, “why did I do that?”

“At the time of the stabbing, Mr Ludwig was unarmed with anything, and had made no threat or gesture towards (the boy),” Justice Wood said.

Mr Ludwig lost a large amount of blood, going into cardiac arrest – and could not be resuscitated.

Justice Wood said while the boy was remanded in custody at Ashley Youth Detention Centre, he’d been assessed by a psychiatrist as being unfit to stand trial.

That psychiatrist gave evidence the boy would be unable to follow and understand evidence due to his autism spectrum disorder, a severe language disorder associated with his autism, cognitive difficulties and an anxiety disorder.

The jury was satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the boy caused Mr Ludwig’s death, but also that he was unfit to stand trial.

Justice Wood noted Mr Ludwig’s family held grave concerns that because of the boy’s permanent condition, he remained a danger to the community and could reoffend.

“I also note that notwithstanding the depth of agony and grief expressed, there are expressions of hope that (the boy) can rehabilitate,” she said.

She released the boy back into the community – but under a long list of “strict conditions” for the coming three years, including that he remain under the supervision of a probation officer, not visit specified locations, not leave Tasmania, and not leave his home between the hours of 10pm and 6am.

The boy must also not use alcohol or drugs, and must not carry or collect knives or weapons, or possess or use any guns.

The boy’s name still cannot be published as he was a minor at the time of Mr Ludwig’s death.

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