A mother and daughter in Western Australia have been killed by the ex-husband of the mother’s friend in Floreat, Perth.
On Friday afternoon, WA Police arrived at the home of Jennifer Petelczyc, 59, and her 18-year-old daughter Gretl. Jennifer was found deceased, while Gretl was rushed to Royal Perth Hospital, but died on Saturday morning. The perpetrator, who has been identified as Mark Bombara, had died by suicide after committing the murders.
According to the ABC, the gunman’s ex-wife had warned her friend that the man would be coming to the house, and told them to hide.
WA Today reported that police are investigating whether the women were cable-tied while the gunman made a series of threatening phone calls before the execution-style killings.
One news outlet reported that the gunman’s ex-wife, Petelczyc’s friend, had sought refuge at Petelczyc’s home in Floreat after the breakdown of her marriage.
The gunman was a licensed firearms holder and was “known to police” but had no known history of violence and was not being monitored.
WA Police believe the gunman arrived at the residence in Floreat looking for his ex-wife, but failing to locate her, shot and killed Petelczyc and her teenage daughter.
WA Police Detective Inspector David Gorton said on Saturday afternoon said the gunman “discharged a firearm, killing the 59-year-old female, and critically injuring the younger female.”
“St John provided emergency treatment to the younger female at the house, she was then taken to Royal Perth Hospital, but unfortunately, she tragically died.”
“Obviously they are very distressed by these circumstances and WA Police will make the appropriate referrals to them for counselling,” he said.
“Any death is tragic however when you get a multiple murder, it has that greater impact upon the family, the friends, the first responders and certainly the community at large.”
Detective Gorton said the police heard a final shot when they arrived at the scene of the crime.
“We’re aware that police were on the street when the last shot was fired and we believe the last shot was the male taking his own life,” he said. “We received phone calls from a family member.”
“We are still reviewing those particular calls and how they came to know what was going on at the house. That is still the subject of the investigation.”
The gunman’s ex wife and Petelczyc were “good friends”, according to Detective Gorton, and Petelczyc and her murderer were known to each other or had “met previously”.
Detective Gorton said the police are classifying the murders as a double murder suicide, and not as a domestic violence incident because the gunman and the victims were not related to each other.
On Friday, WA MP and former social worker Katrina Stratton posted on her Facebook account: “Thinking of the family, neighbours and community in Floreat tonight.”
WA Labor politician and member for Churchlands Christine Tonkin also took to Facebook to express her thoughts before Gretl Petelczyc was pronounced dead on Saturday morning.
“We don’t know exactly what happened or why it happened but we do know that tragically two people have died and another has been injured in a quiet Floreat street,” she wrote.
“We know that the people in this neighbourhood are shocked, confused and grieving. It will take time to make sense of what has happened and for life to return to a semblance of normality. In the meantime, let’s be gentle with each other.”
Independent Curtin MP Kate Chaney told Sky News she was near Floreat when the incident took place.
“My office is about 200 metres away from there and we heard the sirens and the police response,” she said.
“Lots of people heard the gunshots and there was a huge police presence very quickly.”
“I spoke to the Prime Minister this morning and he sends his condolences to our community and I again reiterated to him that we need a sense of urgency on this issue.”
“Two women have lost their lives because of a man with a gun, and it’s a reminder that violence against women happens in every community, even right here in our backyard,” she said.
“Enough is enough. So many women that I’ve spoken to in my community last night and this morning are feeling exhausted and furious because more women are dying at the hands of a man. Men have to stop killing women.”
“Again, I reiterated my deep concern that we respond as a government but also there is this broad community response that needs to happen. This is everybody’s problem.”
“Certainly, what I hear on the broader issue about violence against women, is that we do need better frontline service responses, more accommodation, some justice reform – now this is change at a federal and state level,” Chaney continued.
“There is this deep, long-term prevention change that needs to happen where we need to look at pornography and social media and understand why it is that men are seeing violence as an answer to problems.”
Chaney reiterated the need for “crisis accommodation” as an option for women escaping a relationship.
“We don’t know the exact circumstances of that, of course there being more options available to women who are going through breakups or who need crisis accommodation is an essential piece of the puzzle,” she said.
“I don’t know whether or not if that was available it would have been used in this particular circumstance, but I certainly hear lots of stories from constituents, and this goes across socio-economic status, it happens in every community, there are so many women who really feel trapped and struggle to find a path out of violent relationships.”
“It is absolutely devastating and of course, like any connected community, there are so many ways people knew this family, the area and that realisation is just dawning on the community of what’s been taken aways from us.”
According the Counting Dead Women Australia, 31 women have now died due to violence against women in 2024.
According to data released by the Australian Institute of Criminology earlier this month, the rate of women killed by an intimate partner in Australia increased by nearly 30 per cent in 2022 – 2023 compared to the previous year.
On May 1, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced a number of new and existing measures to form part of his government’s response to what he called a “national crisis”, including $925 million to support the Leaving Violence program for the next five years.
If you or someone you know is experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, domestic, family or sexual violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au for online chat and video call services.
If you are concerned about your behaviour or use of violence, you can contact the Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491 or visit http://www.ntv.org.au.
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