Three men are jailed for life over the horror murder of a man and woman who were tortured for hours, shoved into a toolbox at knifepoint and thrown into a river to drown
- Cory Breton and Iuliana Triscaru’s decomposing bodies were found in a box
- The pair were lured to an apartment complex and brutally tortured and beaten
- Bound and forced into toolbox at knife point before it was dumped into lagoon
- Stou Daniels, Trent Michael Thrupp, Davy Malu Junior Taiao were found guilty
- Trio sentenced to life in jail while fourth man will serve 12 years for manslaughter
Three men who murdered a Brisbane pair by locking them inside a toolbox and throwing it in a river have been jailed to life behind bars.
Cory Breton and Iuliana Triscaru’s decomposing bodies were found in a large metal box at Scrubby Creek, south of Brisbane, on February 11, 2016.
Mr Breton and Ms Triscaru were lured to a Kingston apartment complex on January 24, tortured and beaten for hours before being forced into a toolbox at knifepoint.
Stou Daniels, Trent Michael Thrupp and Davy Malu Junior Taiao were each jailed for life when their sentences were handed down at a packed Supreme Court in Brisbane on Monday.
A fourth man Waylon Ngaketo Cowan Walker, who was found guilty of the pair’s manslaughter will serve 12 years behind bars.
Cory Breton’s (left) and Iuliana Triscaru’s (right) decomposing bodies were found in a large metal box at Scrubby Creek, south of Brisbane, on February 11, 2016
Their decomposing bodies were discovered 18 days later when police dredged the large metal box (pictured) from the bottom of Scrubby Creek dam
Outside Brisbane Supreme Court last Thursday, Mr Breton’s widow Miranda Parkinson told reporters she can begin her grieving process now that the trial is over
Daniels, Thrupp, and Taiao must serve at least 30 years, while there was no parole date for Walker’s 12-year sentence.
They were bound and forced into the toolbox at knife point before it was dumped in the waterway alongside the Logan Motorway.
Their decomposing bodies were discovered 18 days later when police dredged the large metal box from the bottom of Scrubby Creek dam.
A pathologist earlier ruled the pair died from either asphyxiation or drowning.
During the trial star witness Lelan Harrington, a friend of Mr Breton, told the jury he saw the pair being attacked with a knife and pole.
A jury deliberated for just two hours last week before finding Daniels, Thrupp, and Taiao guilty of two counts of murder each.
Walker was found not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter.
The four men each pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder. Daniels, Taiao and Thrupp also pleaded not guilty to two counts of torture.
Sobs and cries came from the packed public gallery as guilty verdicts were handed down.
Victoria Duga (2nd from left), mother of victim Iuliana Triscaru, Detective Inspector Damien Hansen (centre) and Miranda Parkinson (right), partner of murder victim Cory Breton are seen with with family members outside the Brisbane Supreme Court
They were bound and forced into the toolbox at knife point before it was dumped in the waterway alongside the Logan Motorway
Outside Brisbane Supreme Court last week, Mr Breton’s widow Miranda Parkinson told reporters she can begin her grieving process now that the trial is over.
‘Now we have some sort of closure (and) we can actually mourn in our own way,’ Ms Parkinson said.
‘We would like to thank everyone, the public prosecutors, the detectives and everyone for their help in getting this outcome. Now we can finally start to move on.’