The shattered parents of a young woman allegedly murdered by her brother say they are at a loss over exactly what led to their family being torn apart.
Gabriella Delaney, 20, was allegedly killed by her brother Lucas Christian Delaney, 30, inside the home they shared at Cambridge Park, in Sydney’s west, on June 3.
Her body lay inside the home for five days before being found by police on Monday.
Officers were called to the home to check on her welfare by her parents Brenda and Ross – who live in Western Australia – after they could not make contact with her.
As the charges against their son were read out in Parramatta Local Court for the first time on Wednesday, Mr Delaney admitted he was ‘confused’ by what had happened.
Gabriella Delaney (pictured), 20, was allegedly killed by her brother Lucas Christian Delaney, 30, inside the home they shared at Cambridge Park, in Sydney’s west, on June 3
Ms Delaney was a budding artist who attended the University of Western Sydney and would often document the process of making her artworks on YouTube
Lucas Delaney (pictured) was due to front before Parramatta Local Court on Wednesday via video link, but chose not to appear. His matter will return to court on August 7
‘We know as much as the media is telling us (at the minute). Feeling really confused and numb,’ Mr Delaney told a friend on Facebook.
Lucas Delaney did not appear on the video screen during the brief court hearing on Wednesday and his legal aid lawyer did not apply for bail.
Police allege that he murdered Gabriela on June 3, before fleeing the house with her body lying inside.
The Daily Telegraph reports that over the days that followed he used a credit card to book into several motels.
He then checked himself into Cumberland Hospital, a mental health facility, and was eventually arrested there by police on Tuesday.
The Delaney family is understood to be planning to make their way to NSW later this week.
In the hours after his daughter’s body was found, Mr Delaney updated his Facebook profile picture to a photo of a painting done by his daughter.
He also shared a link to the emotional Elton John song, Candle In The Wind.
Detective Inspector Jason Pietruszka admitted it was a ‘confronting’ crime scene for those police who attended.
Shocked neighbours in the quiet residential street said they had no idea anything was wrong until they noticed a number of police cars parked outside
Police remove evidence bags from the home – at the end of a cul-de-sac – on Tuesday morning
Gabriella had been studying art at the University of Western Sydney where she was regarded as a rising talent who regularly showed off her talents on Instagram and YouTube.
Next door neighbour Brittney Hotchkiss, who is the same age as Ms Delaney, said she was shocked to find out the news about what allegedly happened to her friend.
‘She was really nice and she was just so young. She was my age and I just couldn’t imagine what her family’s going through,’ Ms Hotchkiss said.
‘I’m pretty freaked out. It was right next door so that’s a bit scary.’
Forensic and homicide squad detectives spent much of Tuesday at the ‘confronting’ scene assisting local officers in their investigations.
A couch – believed to have been stained with blood – was removed from the home and taken away with other evidence.
Gabby Delaney’s parents, who live in Western Australia, asked police to conduct a welfare check after making several failed attempts to contact her
Nextdoor neighbour Brittney Hotchkiss (left), who is the same age as Ms Delaney, said she was shocked to find out the news about what allegedly happened to her friend.
Detective Inspector Jason Pietruszka admitted it was a ‘confronting’ crime scene for officers who attended.
‘It was quite a confronting scene, the young lady had not been seen for six days and police who entered the scene described it as devastating,’ he said.
Police are yet to determine an official cause of death, with their investigations made difficult by the length of time Gabriella’s body lay inside the home.
Some neighbours in the quiet street said they had no idea anything was wrong until they saw the police cars parked outside.
‘You kind of say hello to people in passing, but there’s a lot of coming and going so it’s a bit hard to tell who lives there and who is just visiting,’ one man said.
Gabriella’s father Ross paid tribute to his daughter on Facebook, sharing the emotional Elton John song, Candle In The Wind and writing: ‘RIP Gabriella Lila Delaney’
Police allege the budding artist was murdered on June 3, meaning her body lay inside the home for up to five days
Detective Inspector Jason Pietruszka admitted it was a ‘confronting’ crime scene for officers who attended
‘The only thing my daughter said over the weekend was that it was a bit quiet, they normally have a few parties or that kind of thing.
‘We didn’t realise anything was up until my wife walked out to put the bins out and saw the police cars.
‘Next minute there was police everywhere, an ambulance, it was all happening.’
Lucas Delaney will return to Parramatta Local Court on August 7.