Bedford tragedy: Man charged with murder over family mass killing

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Bedford tragedy: Man charged with murder over family mass killing

By Nathan Hondros, Phil Hickey and Daile Cross

A 24-year-old man has been charged after the bodies of two women and three children were found dead inside a Perth home on Sunday.

The charges come after a man presented at the remote Pilbara mining town of Pannawonica on Sunday morning.

The information provided by the man, which is not yet known, led officers to a home on Coode Street in Bedford.

On entering, police discovered the bodies of Mara Harvey, 47, her daughters three-year-old Charlotte and two-year-old twins Beatrix and Alice, and the girls' grandmother Beverley Quinn, 74.

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Police have charged a Bedford man with five counts of murder, and he will appear in Karratha Magistrates Court on Monday afternoon.

Officers reportedly do not know how long the bodies were in the house before they were discovered.

Neighbours were reported saying they had not seen the family for a week.

Assistant Commissioner Paul Steel of the Metropolitan Region described the incident as a "heartbreaking tragedy".

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“This is a tragic event and it will no doubt have an impact on not only on the family and friends of the deceased, but on the whole of the community, those first responders who are faced with attending a scene with deceased people," Mr Steel said.

Police discovered the bodies about midday.

Police discovered the bodies about midday.Credit: Nathan Hondros

“I can assure people that the WA Police force are conducting a thorough and proper investigation to determine what events led to this tragic matter.

It’s just so sad, they’ve got primary school aged kids and I thought it just couldn’t be

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“The homicide squad currently have teams of detectives on the ground, accompanied by specialist forensic police who are meticulously working their way through this crime scene," he said.

Police are expected to remain at the house for days while investigations are carried out.

Police are expected to remain at the house for days while investigations are carried out.Credit: Phil Hickey

Assistant Commissioner Paul Steel provides media with the tragic news.

Assistant Commissioner Paul Steel provides media with the tragic news.

A distraught neighbour near the scene said she often saw children playing in the front yard of the house.

“It’s just so sad, they’ve got primary school aged kids and I thought it just couldn’t be,” she said.

“It’s sickening to think someone could do that.”

Maria Manfredini lives behind the property at the centre of the tragedy.

“It’s taken us by complete shock,” she said. “It’s just horrific on every level.”

Ms Manfredini said she did not know the occupants of the home personally, but would often wave and say hello as she walked past.

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“This is a very close community," she said.

“It’s always been so calm and peaceful. We never would’ve expected anything like this at all.

“I’m still in shock. I’m deeply saddened by what’s happened.”

Nearby residents have revealed how the streets and the home in question appeared normal when they left their own houses late this morning.

Shine Joseph said the roads were clear when he left his home on Fort Street this morning.

“We actually left for shopping at 11 o’clock in the morning and the roads were actually clear,” he said.

“When I came back ... the roads, all of them were blocked off. I had to take a different path to get home.”

Entire blocks around the crime scene at the corner of Coode and Fort Streets were cordoned off until about 5.30pm.

A major police presence will remain on the street as investigations continue.

It’s understood police are examining CCTV footage from nearby homes which sit opposite the Coode Street house.

Forensic police officers are  inspecting the property in Bedford.

Forensic police officers are inspecting the property in Bedford.Credit: AAP

Mr Steel said police were trying to identify relatives to notify them. Police would remain at the scene for a number of days and homicide squad officers would interview the man in custody.

He did not answer the question about whether weapons were found at the scene.

“It is a tragic thing when incidents like this occur," he said.

The tragedy comes after a family murder-suicide in Margaret River earlier this year.

Peter Miles, 61, his 58-year-old wife Cynda, their daughter Katrina, 35, and her four children - daughter Taye, 13, and sons Rylan, 12, Arye, 10, and Kadyn, eight - were found dead at their Forever Dreaming Farm in Osmington on May 11.

Just two months ago, an Ellenbrook mother and her two children were also found dead inside their suburban home.

Michelle Petersen, 48, her 15-year-old daughter Bella her eight-year-old son Rua were allegedly killed by Ms Peterson’s son Teancum Petersen-Crofts.

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