Sadness and disbelief has swept over a Wangaratta community struggling to come to terms with how and why a horrific murder-suicide happened in a quiet residential street.
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Floral tributes were placed at the front of a Belle Avenue home on Wednesday which, just 24 hours earlier, had been the scene of a shocking series of events which ended when 43-year-old Greg Floyd shot and killed his partner Ora Holt, 39.
Mr Floyd was seen chasing the woman and their four children, aged between 10 and four years old, from their home with a high-powered rifle about 12.50pm.
Homicide squad Detective Sergeant Paul Tremain said the family sought refuge in the next door neighbour’s home – occupied by another young family.
The neighbours fled to safety with Ms Holt’s four children, and their own two, before the armed man smashed his way inside and found her in the bedroom.
Police initially feared he could have still been a threat, calling it a siege, but Detective Sergeant Tremain said there was never a hostage situation.
“It was a domestic dispute, husband versus wife, he’s killed her and then he’s killed himself,” he said.
“As a precaution measure, we treat it as a siege because we can’t contact them … the deaths of the deceased male and female occurred in the first few moments.”
They were found dead inside the house about 5.10pm Tuesday, more than four hours after shots were fired.
“There’s the children involved and to have it happen at a neighbour’s home, he’s got kids himself, it’s just devastating,” Detective Sergeant Tremain said.
Ms Holt was respected member of the Wangaratta West Primary School community, who helped make breakfast for pupils once a week to ensure they had a healthy start to the day.
To have it happen at a neighbour’s home, he’s got kids himself, it’s just devastating.
- Detective Sergeant Paul Tremain
“A special thanks to Ora Holt and Kristie Meggs who have been there every Tuesday, rain hail or shine,” the school wrote in a newsletter.
A local who knew the couple said Mr Floyd was quiet, shy and enjoyed time with friends while Ora was gentle, kind and well-liked.
He said they had had relationship problems, but doted on their children. "To say this was out of character for him is an understatement," he said.
He said Mr Floyd was a keen hunter.
Wangaratta’s Stephanie Purchase has started a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for the children, helping with costs of their parents funerals or school.
“It's never going to fill the hole that will fill the children's lives but maybe we can lift some of the stress from grieving family members,” she said.
“As a close community, this is our way of banding together and helping those in need. I am so deeply saddened by this, this is the only way I felt I could help.”
