Father who gassed his wife and kids in horrific murder-suicide ‘DIDN’T MEAN to kill himself’

A father who gassed his entire family to death in a suspected murder-suicide may not have intended to kill himself, an inquest has heard. 

Maria Lutz, 43, Fernando Manrique, 44, and their children Elisa, 11, and Martin, 10, were found dead, along with the family dog, in their Sydney home in October 2016.

Manrique set up an elaborate system of pipes in the ceiling to spray odourless carbon monoxide gas throughout the house. 

The suspected killer’s body was found face down in the hallway of the family home, while his dead wife and children were discovered in bed. 

The inquest has been told the location of Manrique body – as well as a string of other factors – could indicate he didn’t intend to die at the scene, news.com.au reported. 

A father who gassed his entire family (pictured) in a suspected murder-suicide episode may not have intended to commit suicide the inquest into the deaths has heard

Maria Lutz, 43 and her children Elisa, 11, and Martin, 10, were found dead, along with the family dog, in their Sydney home in October 2016

Maria Lutz, 43 and her children Elisa, 11, and Martin, 10, were found dead, along with the family dog, in their Sydney home in October 2016

Counsel assisting Adam Casselden said Manrique may have intended to flee to the Philippines. The inquest previously heard he had a 17-year-old lover in the country.  

‘There were two suitcases with men’s clothes (in the house) but given how frequently he travelled he may have packed them for convenience,’ he told the inquest.  

‘Did Fernando intend to die with his family? That’s open to interpretation, the body in the hallway is consistent with being overcome with gas – but also suicide.’ 

A computer destroyed by fire was also found in the home, the inquest heard. 

‘Burning the hard drive could be consistent with him moving to the Philippines – or ending his life,’ he said.   

Mr Casselden said there were other indicators that Manrique did intend to die that day. 

He cited Manrique’s money problems with the tax office and a marriage breakdown as possible motives for a murder-suicide. 

The revelations come just days after it was revealed Manrique had made four trips to Bunnings and ordered two cylinders of carbon monoxide 10 days before the family’s death.

The trips were made after his wife discovered his affair with a 17-year-old girl in the Philippines and demanded a divorce, the inquest heard.

Counsel assisting Adam Casselden told a coronial inquest that there were a number of things which indicated Manriques may have intended to flee to the Philippines

Counsel assisting Adam Casselden told a coronial inquest that there were a number of things which indicated Manriques may have intended to flee to the Philippines

The inquest heard Manrique ordered the cylinders of carbon monoxide and arranged for them to be delivered to his friend Jairo Campos’ house.

Mr Campos told the coroner his friend told him he needed the cylinders to run tests on ‘gas released by cars in underground car parks’.

Manrique paid him $400 for storing the cylinders. 

He also made four visits to Bunnings in a week to buy more equipment. 

One of two drivers who delivered the cylinders, Robert Lamont, said this was the only time he had delivered carbon monoxide in over two years of delivering gas canisters. 

He, along with the other driver, Daniel Reilly, contacted Manrique to check the address and to inquire what the bottles were to be used for. 

Mr Reilly said it was unusual to deliver dangerous gas cylinders to a house but it sometimes occurred as some houses had small workshops attached where owners would do tasks such as weld.  

The inquest heard Ms Lutz, a lawyer, was devoted to her children and was planning to return to work after getting help from the National Insurance Disability Scheme

‘Did Fernando intend to die with his family? That’s open to interpretation, the body in the hallway is consistent with being overcome with gas — but also suicide,’ Mr Casselden told the inquest

He said the response he got was that the gas was being used for ‘calibration’ on a work site nearby.   

Counsel assisting the Coroner Adam Casselden told the inquest on Monday it was a ‘real concern’ how easy it was for Manrique to purchase the gas he used to kill his family.

Mr Casselden said that the businessman was seeing the teenager for four months before the deaths. 

The girl named Jamilyn told Australian police they met in a bar she worked in and after two weeks together he told her to quit her job.

She said Manrique promised to support her and buy her a house, but never actually followed through on that plan.

When Ms Lutz discovered the affair she demanded a divorce from the already-unhappy marriage, the inquest at Lidcombe Coroners Court heard.

Manrique frequently travelled around Asia for work, and was supposed to be in the Philippines with his business partner. 

He worked for Drake Business Logistics as the executive director of its Asia services branch after getting his MBA at Macquarie University and working at Fuji Xerox. 

Police forced their way in to the house in Davidson, on Sydney's northern beaches, on October 17, 2016, after the family didn't turn up to work and school

Police forced their way in to the house in Davidson, on Sydney’s northern beaches, on October 17, 2016, after the family didn’t turn up to work and school

Mr Manrique’s body was in the living room, Ms Lutz and Elisa next to each other in a bedroom, and Martin in a third room beside their bull mastiff Tequila

Manrique’s body was in the living room, Ms Lutz and Elisa next to each other in a bedroom, and Martin in a third room beside their bull mastiff Tequila

Ms Lutz kicked her husband out of the family home in September 2016 after an argument prompted by him having a loud phone call at 2am.

He was allowed to return the next month but by then is believed to have concocted his murderous plan, having ordered two canisters on September 30.

Police forced their way in to the house in Davidson, on Sydney’s northern beaches, on October 17, 2016, after the family didn’t turn up to work and school.

Manrique’s body was in the living room hallway, Ms Lutz and Elisa next to each other in a bedroom, and Martin in a third room beside their bull mastiff Tequila.

Detective Sergeant Timothy Pooley told the inquest the alleged killer owed the Australian Tax Office more than $15,000 and $28,000 on his credit card. 

The family had just $6 on its trust account, a few thousand in other accounts, and was only paying the interest on two mortgages totalling more than $500,000. 

Nichole Brimble, a friend of Maria Lutz, (centre) is seen with supporters as she arrives at the Lidcombe Coroners Court in Sydney on Monday

Nichole Brimble, a friend of Maria Lutz, (centre) is seen with supporters as she arrives at the Lidcombe Coroners Court in Sydney on Monday 

The inquest will continue over the course of the week in an attempt to uncover how and why the family died

The inquest will continue over the course of the week in an attempt to uncover how and why the family died

However, despite the family’s dire finances, Manrique was still blowing hundreds on expensive gifts for various girlfriends around Asia he visited on work trips.

His spending meant the couple’s children weren’t able to get the medical help they needed, leaving Ms Lutz stuck at home looking after them.

FROM COLOMBIA TO SYDNEY: A TIMELINE

Early 2005: Fernando Manrique and Maria Claudia Lutz move to Sydney, Australia from Colombia.

February 2005: The couple purchase a home in Davidson, in Sydney’s north, for $590,000.

May 2005: Their first child Elisa is born.

August 2006:  Manrique and Ms Lutz’s son Martin is born. Both their children have non-verbal autism.

January 2009: Ms Lutz’s parents visit the family in Sydney. 

November 2009: Ms Lutz’s brother and sister-in-law travel to Sydney for a holiday.

2012: Elisa starts school at St Lucy’s School for children with disabilities in Wahroongah.

2013: Martin starts school at the same place. Their mother was a regular helper at the school canteen and well-liked within the community.  

November 2013: Manrique starts work at Drake Business Logistics as Chief Technology Officer. 

May 2015: He is named the Executive Director of Drake Business Services Asia. The father frequently travels for work with this new role.

October 2016: Family and their pet dog found dead at their home. Believed to have been deliberately gassed.

He said Manrique ordered two gas canisters and had them delivered to his friend Jairo Campos’s house, telling him they were to test an underground car park. 

He also made four visits to Bunnings in as many days, buying more equipment for his plan.

Relatives at the time claimed Ms Lutz must have been in on the plan as part of a suicide pact, but Sergeant Pooley dismissed this suggestion.

‘Maria had no awareness or involvement in Fernando’s plans… he took deliberate steps to hide the gas from her,’ he said.

The inquest heard Ms Lutz, a lawyer, was devoted to her children and was planning to return to work after getting help from the National Insurance Disability Scheme.

She was due to receive $50,000 from the scheme the help care for the couple’s two children, who were autistic. 

Sergeant Pooley said this would have allowed Ms Lutz to leave her husband for good and be ‘better off than she had been for years’. 

‘She was looking forward to life without Fernando,’ he said.

‘She’d had enough of him… she was going to go and raise the children and she was going to live her own life.’

Martin was a ‘prolific painter’ and used art to communicate what he couldn’t in words. 

At the time of the deaths, Ms Lutz’s sister Ana Lutz said she was ‘a warrior’.

‘Always fighting for all. My cute doll. One more angel in heaven, an angel given to their children,’ she wrote on Facebook. 

Martin's body was found in a room beside the family's bull mastiff Tequila (pictured)

Martin’s body was found in a room beside the family’s bull mastiff Tequila (pictured)

The beloved dog died beside the young autistic boy inside the house as collateral damage

The beloved dog died beside the young autistic boy inside the house as collateral damage

Ms Lutz and her husband, who moved to Sydney from Colombia in 2005, disagreed on how to parent their children, both of which had nonverbal autism and were unable to speak.

Neighbour Shaun Mayatt said at the time of the deaths that lots of work had been done on the house to make it safe for the children.

Ms Lutz is believed to have spent many sleepless nights caring for her children, who needed frequent therapy and doctor’s appointments.

She often posted about her children on social media and said her ‘worst nightmare’ was either of her kids getting lost or going missing.

Weeks after the deaths, a friend revealed Ms Lutz was calling family services ‘nine times a day’ as she struggled to cope with looking after the children. 

A wellwisher places a bouquet of flowers outside the family's home in the days after their deaths

A wellwisher places a bouquet of flowers outside the family’s home in the days after their deaths

The funeral service for the Manrique family at the Holy Name Parish in Sydney on October 31, 2016

The funeral service for the Manrique family at the Holy Name Parish in Sydney on October 31, 2016

Coffins are loaded into hearses following the funeral for the Manrique family at the at the Holy Name Parish

Coffins are loaded into hearses following the funeral for the Manrique family at the at the Holy Name Parish

She was only supported by the government about five hours every week.  

‘She would ring them sometimes nine times a day to confirm they had cancelled or changed things – or to ask for extra help. She felt completely alone and was a broken woman and depressed,’ the friend said.

Principal Warren Hopley of St Lucy’s Primary School in Wahroonga said he knew something was wrong when the children didn’t show up for class and Ms Lutz for her canteen duties. 

After repeated unanswered phone calls to their home and no email from Ms Lutz saying her children would not be attending school, a teacher called the police. 

Mr Hopley said Elisa and Martin, who were in year five and year four, respectively, were much-loved students by their peers.

‘This is an exceptional family. They’ve been at the school here for six years. Two beautiful children. And mum was very active within the school – almost a cornerstone of the school in many ways,’ Mr Hopley said.

Neighbour Shaun Mayatt said at the time of the deaths that lots of work had been done on the house to make it safe for the children

Neighbour Shaun Mayatt said at the time of the deaths that lots of work had been done on the house to make it safe for the children

After repeated unanswered phone calls to their home and no email from Ms Lutz saying her children would not be attending school, a teacher called the police

After repeated unanswered phone calls to their home and no email from Ms Lutz saying her children would not be attending school, a teacher called the police

‘When all the children leave at the end of the day she would be out there at the exit waiting for her kids and knew the names of every child in the school.

‘I don’t think she slept for many hours of the night because of the difficulties often with the two children, and yet she would always be here helping out in every way she possibly could.’

Mr Hopley said he wasn’t aware of any issues in the family.

‘There was no inkling of any of this.’

Mr Casselden said in addition to investigating the deaths, the inquest would examine whether tighter restrictions on obtaining poisonous gasses were needed.

‘A real concern is the relative ease with which Fernando was able to source the carbon monoxide,’ he said.

For confidential support call the Lifeline 24-hour crisis support on 13 11 14. 

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