By Sarah McPhee
A grandfather who disguised himself and shot his son-in-law in the neck on Sydney’s upper north shore as his terminally ill daughter’s marriage deteriorated has been jailed for at least 4½ years, after a court heard his time behind bars would most likely extend beyond her life expectancy.
About 10am on November 12, 2020, William “Bill” Terrence Murrell, 75, donned a high-vis vest, black hoodie, face mask, sunglasses and gloves and approached the couple’s marital home on Highlands Avenue, Wahroonga, as his son-in-law Mirko Uskovic was preparing to vacate by 4pm.
Police at the scene of the shooting on Highlands Avenue in Wahroonga, and inset, William “Bill” Murrell.Credit: Kate Geraghty/Supplied
“The offender was carrying a .22 Ruger semiautomatic shortened rifle with an attached silencer, and a laser sight concealed under a woollen blanket,” the agreed facts state.
As Uskovic carried belongings to his car, Murrell “began shooting at him”.
The first shot struck Uskovic on the right side of the neck and he called out, “somebody help me”.
The victim armed himself with a metal pole and told a neighbour to “call the police, he’s got a gun”. Murrell shot another five to six bullets towards him, which missed.
Uskovic managed to knock Murrell, causing him to drop the gun, and began punching and kicking him on the ground. A fully loaded revolver fell out of Murrell’s pocket.
“The offender’s hood and his face mask also fell off, and the victim recognised the offender as his father-in-law,” the facts state.
Murrell was arrested, telling police “my daughter has a problem with him”.
His adult daughter, Danielle, was diagnosed in mid-2019 with rapid onset motor neurone disease and received a $1.8 million life insurance payout. In the weeks before the shooting, she had moved in with her parents in Beecroft, in Sydney’s north-west.
Uskovic received $350,000 as part of the split from his wife of 22 years, with whom he shared four children, according to the facts.
Murrell initially claimed Uskovic attacked him first. Both men were hospitalised and Uskovic was treated for wounds “consistent with a bullet penetrating his neck and exiting, leaving a lasting scar”.
Murrell pleaded guilty to discharging a firearm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and possessing an unauthorised firearm. He was sentenced in Downing Centre District Court on Friday to 7½ years’ imprisonment, with a minimum term of 4½ years.
Before delivering sentence, Judge Antony Townsden said he was “very conscious of the fact” any non-parole period imposed would likely extend beyond the life expectancy of Murrell’s daughter, given the gravity of the offending.
The judge said a report before the court regarding her condition, which caused her muscle weakness and an inability to swallow or speak, placed her life expectancy as 12 to 24 months “at best”.
Townsden said Murrell made a number of claims in a police interview including that Uskovic had been siphoning money out of his daughter’s bank account since he found out she was unwell, allegedly taking $100,000.
He admitted to arming himself with the rifle, a revolver “from the 1900s” and the laser sight “because his eyesight is not good”, saying he wanted to “scare the hell out of him” and stop Uskovic from trying to get more money.
According to a psychological report, Murrell said the family’s stress was compounded by his son-in-law filing for a divorce after his daughter’s diagnosis.
“[Murrell] spoke at length about his role as protector of his family,” the report states.
“He described guilt and remorse at having behaved in a manner that had resulted in him being unable to support and protect his daughter in her time of need, and having compounded her stress with his own ‘silly behaviour’.”
The judge said the offending was “considered and calculated”. He accepted expert evidence that Murrell’s behaviour was more likely to be explained by an extreme stress response.
The judge acknowledged Uskovic’s victim impact statement in which he said he still carries the scars of that day, experiencing daily migraines, nightmares, flashbacks, depression and panic attacks.
In an affidavit, Murrell’s wife of five decades said her husband “continually expresses regret and sorrow for his actions”. She acknowledged that “nobody must take the law into their own hands”.
His daughter’s affidavit described it as “horribly tragic” and that her father had made a terrible decision.
Murrell, who appeared in court from Long Bay prison, will be eligible for release in May 2025.
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