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The New Tasmanian Devil — Matthew De Gruchy Massacred His Family
Is this paroled triple murderer still a danger to the community around him?
When he was 18 years old, Matthew Wayne De Gruchy, slaughtered his mother, brother, and sister in a bludgeoning attack that was so violent, pathologists in the case said the victims looked like they had been in a plane crash. By August 2019, after serving only 23 years, this triple murderer was back on the streets — a free man.
18-year-old Matthew De Gruchy lived in Albion Park Rail, just south of Sydney, Australia, with his mother, 42-year-old Jennifer, and his siblings, 15-year-old Adrian and 13-year-old Sarah. His father, Wayne De Gruchy, lived there too but was away on business at the time of the murders.
At around 8:30 a.m. on March 12, 1996, Police were called to the home by a neighbor after De Gruchy had run from his home in a panicked state, screaming for help. The neighbor came out to help him and was told by a tearful De Gruchy that there was “something wrong” with his mother and sister. The neighbor went to check on them and made a horrific discovery. Inside the De Gruchy home lay a family who had been brutally attacked. He exited the home and notified the police.
The Victims
Police arriving on the scene found themselves in the middle of one of the most horrendous crime scenes imaginable.
Jennifer, De Gruchy’s mother, was found in her bedroom, laying among the sheets on her bed. She had been beaten so badly that her brain had been forced from her skull. Police believe a sledgehammer was used to beat her to death while a pillow was placed over her face. She was unrecognizable. Blood-match samples had to be used to make a formal identification.
Sarah was also found in her bed with catastrophic injuries to her head and face. Like her mother, a pillow had been placed over her head while she was bludgeoned. There was a Walkman found next to her in bed. Police believe she had been listening to music before she was attacked, which was likely the reason she hadn’t heard what was happening to her mother in another bedroom, but it appeared she had seen her attacker approaching and attempted to defend herself as there were defensive bruises…
