November 13, 2026 — 7:09pm
The daughter of a man who tied up and then shot a mother and daughter in their Floreat home 2½ years ago has addressed an inquest into the deaths, stating he was “deeply rooted in bigotry, racism, homophobia and misogyny”.
Ariel Bombara read a statement to the court on Friday on the last day of a five-day hearing into how 63-year-old Mark Bombara carried out the double murder in Floreat in May 2024 before turning the gun on himself.
Ariel had spoken out before, criticising WA Police’s handling of concerns she and her mother raised with multiple officers in the lead up to the deaths as they fled the home and tried to seek help.
“As my father is no longer here to answer for his violent crimes I will start by apologising for his actions,” she said, making it clear that despite evidence given about how Bombara appeared to be “a nice man”, it was just a facade.
She said her father’s decision to murder her mother’s best friend and daughter was “underpinned by power and control”.
“He is not the sad victim that he conned many into believing,” she said.
“He was a ruthless manipulator.”
She said the “punishment” for her mother deciding to divorce him after years of coercive, sexual and financial control, “could be nothing but her murder”.
“When he realised my mum wasn’t in [Jennifer and Gretl’s] home, he decided time was up and murdering your whole family was the next best punishment,” she said, addressing Jennifer’s surviving daughter Leisl.
“You deserved so much better than that Leisl.”
Ariel revealed she had moved back into the family’s Mosman Park family home six months before the murders due to escalating concerns for her mother.
“I had moved out years before after a childhood rife with his abuse,” she said.
She then told the inquest that she repeatedly replayed the events leading up to the deaths of Jennifer and Gretl.
“I wish I could go back and scream into the faces of 100 police officers until one of them would help us,” she said.
“I question every decision I ever made … I’ve gone through hundreds of scenarios wishing I could help them.”
Ariel then outlined the abuse her mother had endured for years and criticised some witnesses calling her “a trophy wife”.
“Killing her was the only thing that would have truly satisfied him,” Ariel said.
“He saw her as his property and strokes or not would never have let mum leave him without a death penalty.”
Acting state coroner Sarah Linton will deliver her findings next year.
Crisis support is available from Lifeline 13 11 14, or Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636.
More:
From our partners
Source: The Age · Rebecca Peppiatt
At a glance
- Topic
- World
- Country
- 🇦🇺 AU
- Publisher language
- EN
- Added to Allnira