Arabic version: جلسة التحقيق تستمع إلى أن أفعال بومبارا أظهرت تخطيطاً عالي المستوى

According to ABC News, an independent neurologist told a Perth inquest that Mark Bombara’s actions before the 2024 killings of Jennifer and Gretl Petelczyc demonstrated a “high-level” of planning and were unlikely to have been driven by his neurological conditions.

The inquest is examining the deaths of Jennifer and Gretl Petelczyc, who were shot by Bombara after he went to their Floreat home looking for his estranged wife, Rowena. The court heard that Bombara gathered guns, disabled the location function on his phone and wrote a letter before forcing his way into the home.

Neurologist Kevin O’Connor, who reviewed Bombara’s MRI and medical notes, said the planning indicated Bombara was in control of his actions. Bombara had been admitted to hospital about two weeks earlier after multiple strokes resulted in an acquired brain injury. Dr O’Connor said it was unlikely the strokes affected his behaviour, while a large brain cyst was likely present from birth and would also not have affected it.

Dr O’Connor said post-stroke depression was common but he had never seen it result in homicidal intent. Asked whether the strokes could have caused disinhibition, he said that could only explain actions in “the heat of the moment”, whereas the killings had been planned “over days”.

The inquest also heard that none of the medical professionals who treated Bombara in his final months considered him a risk to himself or others. Police Minister Reece Whitby said he was concerned by evidence about Triple Zero response times and was open to recommendations from the coroner to address shortcomings.