HE ALWAYS ACTED LIKE A LOVING HUSBAND, BUT…! – CHILLING COURT TESTIMONY REVEALS WHAT WITNESSES CLAIM HAPPENED BEFORE THE FAMILY TRAGEDY
Witnesses testify in trial of Queensland man accused of murdering wife and baby daughter
The accused sat silently in court as Tayla’s parents gave a testimony about his alleged behaviour in the days before the deaths.
The accused sat silently in court as Tayla’s parents gave a testimony about his alleged behaviour in the days before the deaths.
A Queensland man accused of murdering his wife and baby daughter has appeared in court as ten witnesses gave evidence about his behaviour leading up to the alleged killings.
Matthew James Cox, 34, is accused of stabbing and killing his 30-year-old wife Tayla Black and their 11-week-old daughter Murphy at their Rockhampton home in August 2023.
Days after the alleged murders, Cox turned himself in to a Brisbane police station.
Superintendent Darrin Shadlow said at the time that Cox was not known to police and there was no known history of domestic violence.
He said officers discovered the bodies in a “quite confronting” scene at the property after performing a welfare check.
“A deceased infant child is always confronting for first responders,” Shadlow said.
Cox’s lawyer is now arguing his mental health makes him unfit to stand trial.
Tayla’s parents were called to give evidence on Tuesday, emotionally recounting their interactions with Cox in the lead-up to the deaths.
Her mother, Annemarie Black, told the court how Cox was lacking emotion before the bodies were found by police.
Nine other witnesses also took to the stand, including Tayla‘s father, family members, and co-workers.
The court heard that Cox was admitted to hospital for mental health treatment in September 2022.
His manager at the time, Mitchell Harris, said he knew “two different Matts — pre-admission into the mental health system and post-admission.”
Cox was part of an alcoholics anonymous group, with a fellow member recalling how he would say he wasn’t following the AA steps.
CCTV footage from the day of the deaths showed Cox at a local bar, before he took a flight to Brisbane.
He watched on silently from the dock with his eyes down throughout Tuesday’s proceedings.
Cox’s mother and stepfather will be cross-examined on Wednesday when the hearing continues.
