Police divers found the bodies of Mr Breton and Ms Triscaru in the box at the bottom of the lagoon weeks after it was allegedly thrown into the water while weighed down by concrete blocks and tyres.
Share and Follow

Three men accused of killing two people by drowning them in a toolbox have been found guilty of murder.

Cory Breton, 28, and Iuliana Triscaru, 31, were killed at Kingston in Logan, south of Brisbane, on January 24, 2016.

Police divers found their bodies two weeks later locked in the toolbox submerged in Scrubby Creek.

Police divers found the bodies of Mr Breton and Ms Triscaru in the box at the bottom of the lagoon weeks after it was allegedly thrown into the water while weighed down by concrete blocks and tyres.
Police divers found the bodies of Mr Breton and Ms Triscaru in the box at the bottom of the lagoon weeks after it was allegedly thrown into the water while weighed down by concrete blocks and tyres. (Supplied)

The jury on Friday returned its verdict after deliberating since 10.45am on Wednesday.

The trio are set to be sentenced at a later date.

None of the accused elected to testify in their own defence.

The jury previously heard evidence that the victims could have been alive when the toolbox was thrown into the water and weighed down with concrete.

Police divers found the bodies of Cory Breton and Iuliana Triscaru in a toolbox at the bottom of a lagoon in 2016.
The jury previously heard evidence that the victims could have been alive when the toolbox was thrown into the water and weighed down with concrete. (9News)

Crown prosecutor Nathan Crane previously told the jury he would allege Daniels and Taiao were liable for murder by forcing the victims into the toolbox at a Kingston unit in the hours before their deaths.

Thrupp either threw the toolbox into nearby Scrubby Creek or was present when it happened, Crane said.

Thrupp’s defence barrister Jessica Goldie previously said other men, including Taiao or a prosecution witness, could have been a passenger in a utility vehicle that took the toolbox containing Breton and Triscaru to Scrubby Creek, rather than her client.

Cory Breton, 28, and Iuliana Triscaru, 31, were killed at Kingston in Logan, south of Brisbane, on January 24, 2016. (9News)

Goldie said a claim by a witness that her client confessed to him he shot Breton and Triscaru in the head was a “complete fabrication” and was contradicted by forensic evidence.

Taiao’s defence barrister Lars Falcongreen told the jury a “star witness” for the prosecution had given evidence that showed his client had no knowledge of any plan to kill.

Daniels’ defence barrister John Fraser said his client had taken part in what he thought was a “boot ride”, which was a common punishment in drug-dealing circles involving detaining people to scare them.

The trio faced a retrial this month after the Court of Appeal in July 2024 set aside murder convictions for Thrupp, Taiao and Daniels and ordered that they receive new trials.

In 2021, Thrupp, Taiao and Daniels were each found guilty of two counts of murder.

The 2024 Court of Appeal decision ruled there had been a miscarriage of justice on grounds including how the jury was directed in relation to the offences of murder.

However, the trio’s appeal against torture charges, relating to their assaults on Breton and Triscaru, was dismissed.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
Queensland flood rescue

Emergency Rescues in North Queensland as Severe Flooding Strikes

Several people have been rescued as rising floodwaters impact already sodden parts…
Donald Jr and Eric Trump now run the Trump Organisation.

Trump Family Targets Gold Coast for Latest High-Profile Real Estate Investment

Donald Trump’s family is eyeing their first Trump-branded property on Australian soil,…

Labor’s Hate Speech Law Faces Uphill Battle: Coalition Skepticism and Greens’ Rejection

Support for Labor’s hate speech laws appears to be on life support,…
Alarm bells over scale of unreported sexual harassment at work

Shocking Revelation: Unreported Workplace Sexual Harassment Reaches Alarming Levels

Recent research has uncovered troubling insights, revealing that despite strides in legal…
Charlotte Armstrong and her family were forced to flee the Cumberland River Holiday Park as the river broke its banks following heavy rainfall yesterday.

Holiday Chaos: Travelers Stranded as Flash Floods Sweep Away Cars and Belongings

Exclusive: Holidaymakers and locals in Wye River are beginning a massive clean-up…
Australian father struck and killed by police car in London

Australian Father Fatally Struck by Police Vehicle in London

A man fatally struck by a police car in London has been…
Jarvis Cocker, right, and Mark Webber, from left, and Candida Doyle, of the band Pulp.

British Band Pulp Rejoins Adelaide Festival Lineup After Initial Cancellation

British band Pulp has backflipped on its decision to cancel its performance…

Major Milestone: Labor Celebrates Surge in Under-16 Social Media Deactivations and Restrictions

The government has hailed data showing over 4.7 million under-16 accounts had…