Inside killer's evil past: How narcissist dad-of-ten abandoned a lover in a motel, abused his ex-wife on their wedding night and sent another to give birth BY HERSELF - before murdering his two youngest kids
- John Edwards had tumultuous and violent history before he killed two of his kids
- Shot dead daughter Jennifer, 13, and son Jack, 15 before turning gun on himself
- Inquest into teens' deaths has heard disturbing details about Edwards' history
- Abandoned a partner in motel while another changed name and fled interstate
Shocking details about the violent history of an evil father who shot dead two of his children before turning the gun on himself have been revealed.
John Edwards, 67, killed his daughter Jennifer Edwards, 13, and his son Jack, 15, in West Pennant Hills in Sydney's north-west on July 5, 2018 in a double murder-suicide that shocked Australia.
Edwards (pictured) killed himself at his rented home near Normanhurst on the night of the murders.
Edwards returned to his rented home in nearby Normanhurst and took his own life.
His estranged wife and the children's mother Olga tragically died by suicide five months later.
An inquest into the teens' deaths began at the NSW Coroners Court last week, where disturbing details about their father's history as a violent, controlling narcissist with six previous partners was exposed.
The court heard Edwards had 'a propensity for domestic violence', including physical and psychological assaults against the women in his life and his children.
One ex-partner said he was never physically violent but 'controlling' - and another said he was 'unbalanced and a narcissist', the lead investigator told the inquest.
While the women's names have been suppressed by the court, details of his shocking behaviour towards his traumatised victims have come to light.
The shocking history of John Edwards before he gunned down his two youngest children in cold blood
Edwards was just 19 when he married his first wife, then 18, The Australian reported.
After having two children, she ditched Edwards during a family holiday in the US in 1974 after she discovered he was having an affair with another woman.
Edwards returned to Australia with his American mistress, who he later abandoned in a motel with a child and no money.
Six months after the murder-suicide, the children's mother Olga (pictured) took her own life
His next partner suffered a miscarriage after Edwards hurled a bottle of orange cordial at her.
She eventually fled and applied for an apprehended violence order after Edwards threw a rolling pin at her.
Edwards then impregnated another woman, but ditched her before the child was born.
He later held her captive in his home and pinned her to the bed before she managed to flee. She went to the police, who arrested Edwards outside her home.
A fifth partner was so frightened of Edwards, she changed her name and fled to Queensland.
A sixth woman told police she slept alone on their wedding night after she copped a scolding from her new husband.
She finally left him in 2000 and fled to a woman's shelter after she was forced to give birth alone when Edwards refused to take her to hospital as she went into labour.
The woman later made a formal complaint to police about the domestic violence she suffered.
Partner two: John Edwards left his first wife for American mistress who was later abandoned in a motel alone with a child and no money (stock photo)
Partner three: A pregnant partner suffered a miscarriage after Edwards hurled a bottle of cordial at her. She eventually fled after he threw a rolling pin at her (stock image)
His Russian-born estranged wife Olga was just 19, 31 years his junior, when the pair met on a dating site in 2001.
It's understood Olga spent the next 15 years trying to salvage the marriage, despite his belittling comments and his controlling nature; he dictated what clothes she wore.
She eventually fled the violent marriage and the family home, taking their two children and launched divorce proceedings in April 2016.
She told the Family Court that she feared for the safety of the children.
Edwards 'became consumed with maintaining a relationship with Jack and Jennifer' and blamed Olga for the children's estrangement, Detective Sergeant Tara Phillips told the NSW Coroners Court last week.
Partner 4: Edwards then impregnated another woman but ditched her before the child was born. He later found held captive in his home before she managed to flee (stock image)
After the children's murder, Olga detailed to Det Sgt Phillips how Edwards had over the years physically abused the children over minor things, such as touching his phone or CD collection.
Including Jennifer and Jack, Edwards had 10 children to seven partners.
He threatened to take two of his previous partners' lives and gave another rat poison, while his other kids described being beaten with a belt and cattle whip.
Edwards deceitfully told one woman he was in the armed forces and 'Aboriginal chieftain', while another described trying to run escape with the kids while he was in the shower.
One of his kids said custody visits were like prison.
Partner 5: A fifth partner was so afraid of Edwards, she changed her name and fled to Queensland (stock image)
Partner 6: A sixth woman whom Edwards married gave birth alone after he refused to take her to hospital to give birth to their baby (stock image)
Edwards was awarded licences to shoot rifles and pistols in June 2017 after NSW Firearms Registry staff used a police database report that had failed to pick up several matters related to domestic violence.
Over the next year, he legally acquired five weapons including the Glock 17A 9mm semi-automatic pistol he used to shoot dead Jennifer and Jack.
The teens' bodies were found with multiple gunshot wounds under a desk in a bedroom where they had been trying to hide from their father.
Followed her children's deaths, Olga told her GP that she wanted to stay in the house where they were killed because 'it still had some of Jack and Jenny in it'.
She was found dead in the home in December 2018.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) or 1800respect.org.au
Lifeline 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au
No comments: