The medical care double-murderer Mark Bombara received before he killed a mother and daughter in their Floreat home will be the main focus of an inquest into their deaths, a coroner has revealed.
Bombara, 62, shot his estranged wife’s friend, Jennifer Petelczyc, and her daughter, Gretl, before turning the gun on himself in May 2024.
He had gone to their house looking for his estranged wife and his daughter, Ariel Bombara, who had been trying to warn police for weeks that her father had a history of family and domestic violence and was a real and imminent threat.
Ariel Bombara had been trying to warn police of her father’s violent history in the lead-up to the murders. (ABC News: Phil Hemingway)
Last year, an internal police investigation found eight officers did not perform their duties, in part by not issuing a protective police order against Bombara and seizing his firearms, of which he was licensed to own 13.
What the inquest will examine
At a pre-inquest hearing in the WA Coroners Court today, Acting State Coroner Sarah Linton said the report from the police internal investigation would likely be used, unless its findings were disputed, instead of having those officers appear.
In response, the lawyer representing Ariel Bombara said she had yet to see the report and would raise any issues once she had.
Ariel Bombara has indicated she wants the inquest to examine police actions. (ABC News: Courtney Withers)
She said she wanted it on record that there was “an interest in some ventilation of police actions”.
Ms Linton said it was hoped the inquest could begin late this year, with the primary focus of the inquiry to be on the medical care Bombara received in the lead up to the murders.
She said an expert neurological report on Bombara had been requested, and she expected a further medical report may be required.
Jennifer and Gretl Petelczyc were shot dead by Mark Bombara who was searching for his estranged wife. (Supplied)
Ms Linton said while the exact dates and length of the inquest were yet to be set, it would likely look at several issues beyond the medical care, including police actions, firearm laws and family and domestic violence.
The double-murder suicide saw a swift response from the state government, as it beefed up new firearms laws which already restricted license holders to between five and 10 firearms.
It also introduced the requirement for mental health checks and mandatory safety training by automatically removing guns as soon as a domestic violence complaint is made.
CCC investigation
In a report tabled in parliament, the CCC said it had asked WA Police to investigate whether officers had failed to properly review Bombara’s suitability to hold a gun licence, but Police Commissioner Col Blanch declined a separate probe.
Instead, police wanted to prepare a single report on all issues related to the murders, including his firearms, which the CCC disagreed with.
“The commission has therefore commenced its own full investigation into the allegation of police misconduct in respect of Bombara’s firearms licence,” the report stated.
CCC Commissioner John McKechnie said he took that step because “the police investigation was not going down avenues that we considered important”.
Another hearing will take place on July 17 to consider pre-trial issues ahead of the inquest.
