Floreat double murder inquest Mark Bombara, Digi Mart USA News (Floreat, Perth, Western Australia): A friend of Floreat murderer Mark Bombara has described him as a “control freak” who could not cope with the end of his marriage. The lawyer representing Rowena Bombara and her daughter, Ariel, says the double murder was preceded by years of domestic violence, including coercive and financial control.
Bombara shot and killed Jennifer Petelczyc and her daughter, Gretl, before turning the gun on himself on May 24, 2024. He had gone to their house looking for his estranged wife, Rowena, who was best friends with Jennifer Petelczyc.
Kathryn Kraus, the lawyer representing Rowena and Ariel Bombara, told the court the pair had moved out of the family home and gone into hiding in the weeks before the murders, fearing for their lives.
Ms Kraus said Rowena and Ariel Bombara attempted to tell police that Bombara was a serious and imminent threat with access to firearms. Acting State Coroner Sarah Linton acknowledged this as she opened the inquest, saying family and domestic violence would be “front and centre.” She explained that while the deceased were not family members of Bombara, “the actions that were taken were in the pursuit of family members.”
Allan Maher, a friend of Bombara, told the inquest that his friend was a “control freak” and a “domineering” man, but did not believe he was violent. He said Bombara was “bloody mortified” when he learned what he had done.
Mr Maher said he believed Bombara viewed himself as a “short, fat wallet” and his wife as a “trophy wife” after his business success.
The two men drove from Perth to Bombara’s rural property at Boyup Brook two days before the murders. Mr Maher said Bombara would not “shut up” about his wife leaving and “couldn’t cope with the fact he had lost the trophy.” In a rant, Bombara said words to the effect of “I’ll get the bitch, I’ll find her,” but Mr Maher said his friend seemed more frustrated than angry and did not seem to understand why his wife had left.
Asked whether Bombara indicated a desire to physically hurt his estranged wife, Mr Maher replied “No.”
Mr Maher said he was “blissfully ignorant about the depth of what was going on.” On the return drive to Perth on May 24, 2024, the two men travelled in separate cars and agreed to stop at each service station. In Bunbury, Bombara bought cable ties and a long rain jacket; Mr Maher said he thought nothing of it, as such items were used regularly on the farm.
Mr Maher first sensed something was wrong when Bombara failed to stop at a Mandurah service station as agreed and drove past him at “140 kilometres an hour.”
Bombara arrived at the Petelczyc family home at 4:14pm that day wearing the coat. He used the cable ties to restrain the women before killing them.
Mr Maher told the court that, with hindsight, he believed Bombara had used him and had planned the murders in advance. He said Bombara gave him “a couple hundred dollars” and a grocery list at one point on the farm.
While Mr Maher was at the local IGA, he believes Bombara accessed the farm gun safe and took the firearms he later used to threaten Jennifer and Gretl.
The inquest will continue and is expected to hear from medical professionals who treated Bombara in the weeks before the murders.
