The grieving parents of a woman allegedly killed by her ex-husband say they feel ‘cheated’ after he took his own life while behind bars.
Troy Armstrong, 36, had been charged with murdering Kristy Armstrong when he allegedly drove his ute towards her sedan at 140kmh in Molong near Orange, in central-west NSW, on June 9 last year.
Kristy was killed instantly while Armstrong sustained serious brain and spinal injuries which left him unable to walk or take himself to the toilet.
The couple’s two daughters, aged eight and 13, had been in the back of Kristy’s sedan and were left with minor injuries.
Armstrong had not yet entered a plea when he killed himself in his cell at the Metropolitan Remand and Reception Centre in Silverwater, in Sydney’s west, on June 4.
Kristy (pictured left) and Troy Armstrong, who allegedly killed his wife by ramming her car at high speed
Kristy’s parents, Peter and Donna Thornell, have said they will be forever haunted by the death of their daughter, with the crash happening just down the road from where they live.
‘The detectives came out to tell us (Armstrong had died) and my first thought was one of relief, for the simple fact that the poor witnesses wouldn’t have to relive all these horrible things’ Mrs Thornell told the Daily Telegraph.
‘My second thought was: ”you selfish piece of work”
‘To do it five days before Kristy’s anniversary, he took the easy way out, because there was so much evidence.’
Kristy had taken out a restraining order against her husband
Kristy’s parents Donna and Peter Thornell (pictured) said they ‘felt cheated’ Armstrong took his own life in prison
Mrs Thornell said Armstrong had acted aggressively towards their daughter for years and kicked her out of the family home in April, 2021.
She said when her daughter had asked how it could be possible for her to leave the home, Armstrong replied ‘I don’t care if it’s in body bags’.
Kristy eventually took an AVO out against her husband but her mother said ‘they mean nothing’ and the court order didn’t prevent him from allegedly taking her life.
Mr and Mrs Thornell are now raising Kristy’s two children and say they are the reason they wake up each morning.
Police allege Armstrong purposely ran his ute into Kristy’s sedan while travelling at 140km/h following an argument at their children’s primary school.
During an unsuccessful bail application last year, Armstrong’s lawyer Drew Hamilton told the court he posed little risk to the community as he had part of his skull removed and could no longer walk.
Police allege that Armstrong drove his ute at speeds reaching up to 140kph to cause the crash (pictured)
But police prosecutor Carl Smith said Armstrong was ‘an extremely dangerous person’ who had left his two daughters living in fear, despite his injuries.
‘(They) were terrified before this incident, they’re even more terrified now,’ Sergeant Smith told the hearing.
‘He knew driving 140km/h into a car of the likelihood that he’d be killing his wife, but (also) anyone else in that motor vehicle.’
He had not entered any pleas at the time of his death and was due to face a committal hearing on July 11.
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