Mark Bombara shot and killed Jennifer Petelczyc, 59, and her youngest daughter Gretl, 18, at their home in Floreat on Friday afternoon while searching for his ex-wife before taking his own life.
Today, Bombara’s daughter Ariel Bombara released a powerful statement explaining she and her mother feared for their lives and repeatedly told police about her father’s guns.
“We were ignored by five different male officers across three occasions of reporting,” Ms Bombara said.
“By that point we felt completely helpless and I had to focus on getting mum to safety.
“I did everything I could to protect my mother, and when my father couldn’t find us he murdered her best friend and her best friend’s daughter.”
Ms Bombara said she and her mother fled their family home on March 28 “in fear of our lives and to remove ourselves from an abusive situation”.
She claimed she spoke with police on three separate occasions between March 30 and April 2, each time telling them about her father’s gun collection.
“I felt there was a real and imminent threat to our lives,” she said.
Bombara held 11 firearms on a recreational shooter’s licence and owned two handguns on a collector’s licence. He was also authorised to collect ammunition under an ammunition collector’s licence.
“I specifically mentioned that there was a Glock handgun which was unaccounted for,” Ms Bombara said.
“My understanding is this ultimately would be one of the weapons my father used take the lives of two innocent women.”
She was adamant that the deaths of Jennifer and Gretl Petelczyc were “an act of domestic violence”.
In its initial public comments around the murders, WA Police did not classify them as domestic violence-related.
“Police have always accepted that the motivation for these crimes were family and domestic violence (FDV) related, however the crimes committed were murder, and ultimately the contributing factors will be a matter for the coroner to consider,” WA Police later clarified in a statement earlier this week.
“What my father did was an act of domestic violence,” Ms Bombara said.
“My mother and I made clear that lives were at risk, and we were repeatedly ignored. Repeatedly failed. Those failures have cost the lives of two incredible women.
“My father should always be considered accountable for his actions. They were his and his alone, however, there are authorities who should have helped us stop him, and they failed.
9News has contacted WA Police for comment.
Ariel Bombara’s full statement
I’d like to start by saying how truly, deeply sorry I am to [redacted] Petelczyc for the losses of her beautiful mother, Jenny, and sister Gretl; losses she has suffered at the hands of my father’s violence.
My mother and I fled our family home on March 28 in fear of our lives and to remove ourselves from an abusive situation.
Between March 30th and April 2nd, I spoke with police on three separate occasions to raise the alarm about my father.
On each occasion I alerted officers to my father’s guns, and told them my mother and I felt there was a real and imminent threat to our lives.
I specifically mentioned that there was a Glock handgun which was unaccounted for.
My understanding is this ultimately would be one of the weapons my father used take the lives of two innocent women.
I also asked the police if we would be able to take out a 72 hour temporary protective order.
We were told no, and that there was nothing police could do about the situation at that time.
On April 2nd, my mother and I were given a police escort to our home to collect some belongings. This was the third occasion we warned police about my father’s guns.
One officer said, “oh don’t worry, we know all about the guns”, and when he called for backup, he warned his fellow officers to wear bullet proof vests.
We were ignored by five different male officers across three occasions of reporting.
By that point we felt completely helpless and I had to focus on getting mum to safety. I did everything I could to protect my mother, and when my father couldn’t find us he murdered her best friend and her best friend’s daughter.
The gun reforms being discussed currently are an important step, but it is my unwavering belief that even without his guns my father would have committed a horrific act of violence which likely would have claimed lives.
What my father did was an act of domestic violence.
My mother and I made clear that lives were at risk, and we were repeatedly ignored. Repeatedly failed.
Those failures have cost the lives of two incredible women. My father should always be considered accountable for his actions.
They were his and his alone, however, there are authorities who should have helped us stop him, and they failed.
Readers seeking support can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or beyond blue on 1300 22 4636.
Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467.
MensLine Australia 1300 78 99 78.
Multicultural Mental Health Australia www.mmha.org.au.
National Domestic Violence Service: 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732). If you are in immediate danger call triple zero (000).
