Family members, foster carers and the community are furious that the killer of 12-year-old foster child Tiahleigh Palmer will be eligible for parole in 18 years.
Rick Thorburn pleaded guilty to the 2015 murder of his foster daughter in Brisbane’s Supreme Court on Friday.
Thorburn killed Tiahleigh Palmer between 8pm and 10pm October 29, hours after his son Trent, who was 18 at the time, confessed to having sex with her, telling his parents he feared she was pregnant.
There is community anger that the killer of 12-year-old foster child Tiahleigh Palmer will be eligible for parole in 2036. Tiahleigh’s mother Cindy Palmer (pictured) will reveal her anger in a 60-minutes interview to air Sunday
‘They were acting a part,’ she told the Nine network, remembering Thorburn carrying her daughter’s coffin.
Thorburn killed Tiahleigh Palmer (pictured) between 8pm and 10pm October 29, hours after his son Trent, who was 18 at the time, confessed to having sex with her
Bravehearts chair Hetty Johnston told the Nine Network nobody wants Thorburn out of jail.
Another man interviewed by the network said the murder should ‘never see the light of day’.
‘There’s no way Rick Thorburn deserves any second chances here, ever, nobody wants him out of that jail ever.’
Tiahleigh’s biological mother Cindy Palmer has relived the fury she felt watching her daughter’s killer carrying the coffin in an emotional interview with 60 Minutes.
‘They were acting a part,’ she said. ‘He wanted to be the victim.’
Rick Thorburn (pictured) pleaded guilty to the 2015 murder of his foster daughter in Brisbane’s Supreme Court on Friday.
Cindy Palmer (centre), the mother of murdered schoolgirl Tiahleigh Palmer, and her supporters are seen leaving the Supreme Court in Brisbane
The court heard Tiahleigh was first placed into care in 2010, aged seven, and in January 2015, the Thorburn family became her full-time carers.
Tiahleigh’s badly decomposed body was found by fishermen on the banks of the Pimpama River six days after she went missing while in the Thorburn family’s care.
In a letter penned by Thorburn (excerpt pictured), who pleaded guilty to the 2015 murder in Brisbane’s Supreme Court Friday, the 57-year-old also claimed he still loved her
Thorburn, 58, was sentenced to life in jail for murdering 12-year-old (pictured) and will be eligible for parole in 2036
In a letter penned by Mr Thorburn, obtained by ABC News, the 57-year-old claimed he still loved her.
‘There is not a day go by that I am not haunted by what I have done, the torment I live with is unbearable,’ he wrote.
‘It did not matter about her occasional naughtiness, you could not help love her and I still do.’
Thorburn has been sentenced to life in jail and will be eligible for parole in 2036.
One man interviewed by Nine (pictured) said he believes Thorburn should ‘never see the light of day’.