Police have reportedly dismantled a network of hidden pipes in the roof of the Sydney family home where four people were found dead on Monday.
The Daily Telegraph report police were yesterday dismantling a network of hidden pipes allegedly used to gas the family.
The bodies of Manrique, 44, his wife Maria Claudia Lutz, 43, the couple’s two children Martin, 10, and Eliza, 11 – who both had autisim – and the family dog, were found on Monday when police broke into their home after concerns were raised for their safety. The family were Colombian nationals.
Lutz was last seen on Friday after picking up the children, before having a coffee with other mothers.
BOC gas employees yesterday inspected the property, which was reportedly rigged throughout the roof to deliver the deadly fumes in what a police source described as an “extensive, elaborate and well planned” operation.
A system running gas from bottles found near the house and through to the ceiling was later uncovered in what investigators believe was a “deliberate move” to kill the entire family, including the dog.
Neighbour Ofik Thomassian,who lives across the street from the home, watched Manrique working on the roof on Saturday, he told The Daily Telegraph.
“He was right up on the roof replacing tiles and using power tools of sorts,” Thomassian said.
“He was cutting and banging and making all sorts of noise and pulling up tiles but I don’t really know what he was doing.”
Police have been treating the tragedy as a suspected murder-suicide.
The four bodies were discovered in separate parts of the home, but, according to reports, no signs of violence. Now more information has come out which says that the mother, Maria, was found in one room with one of her children and her other child was found alone in a separate room. Fernando’s body was found in another room in the house.
Computers were seized from the house to see if anyone in the household had been researching topics related to gassing.
“There was a lot of pre-planning that went into this,” a police source previously told news.com.au.
It is understood Maria was scheduled to work in the canteen of a local school on Monday, and the alarm was raised when she did not arrive.
“We are gradually working our way through this very tragic circumstances, to get to the bottom of it to find out the truth about what has happened here,” Superintendent Dave Darcy told the media.
Supt Darcy refused to say how long the bodies could have been in the home but said that the two officers found was “extremely confronting”.
The principal of the school Martin and Elisa attended – and where Maria volunteered – said the children had very high, complex needs that kept their mother up at all hours of the night.
Despite the demands at home, acting principal Warren Hopley said Maria was at the school gates each morning, dropping off her children and volunteering her time as a much-loved member of the school’s parents and friends committee.
“This is an exceptional family who have been at the school here for six years,” he told Fairfax Media.
“Two beautiful children, and their mum was a very active member of the school.
“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.
“Just an exceptional woman.”
WHERE TO GET HELP
The Mental Health Foundation’s free Resource and Information Service (09 623 4812) will refer callers to some of the helplines below:
• Lifeline: 0800 543 354
• Depression Helpline: 0800 111 757
• Healthline: 0800 611 116
• Samaritans: 0800 726 666
• Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO). This is a service for people who may be thinking about suicide, or those who are concerned about family or friends.
• Youthline: 0800 376 633. You can also text 234 for free between 8am and midnight, or email [email protected].
• Your local Rural Support Trust: 0800 787 254 (0800 RURAL HELP)
• Alcohol Drug Helpline: 0800 787 797. You can also text 8691 for free.
