So many victims: Brisbane man showed no remorse for bludgeoning parents
The sudden and violent loss of a Brisbane couple murdered by their son had left their loved ones with an irreplaceable void, a judge has told a court.
Brisbane parents Franco and Loris Puglia who were murdered by their son Christopher Puglia (right). Supplied Facebook
Brisbane Supreme Court Justice Peter Applegarth spoke of the trauma in the wake of the 2020 murders of Franco and Loris Puglia, both 59, as he sentenced their son to life imprisonment.
Christopher Puglia admitted to bludgeoning his parents with a sledgehammer on May 16 – the day before family was arriving to celebrate his mother Loris’s 60th birthday.
Justice Applegarth described the murders of the couple as crimes of domestic violence which were callous and horrific.
“They were the first victims. There are many other victims: their elderly parents; your uncle and aunt who arrived home on 17 May, expecting to celebrate your mother’s 60th birthday, only to find a bloody and disgusting murder scene; your brother James who soon was told the devastating news that his parents had been murdered.
“These are but a few of your living victims. You robbed a family of cherished loved ones. You deprived this community of two fine citizens,’’ Justice Applegarth said.
Rather than realising the enormity of his crimes and calling an emergency number, Puglia packed his bag and drove his father’s SUV to Southport before making his way to Sydney.
He was captured by police south of Newcastle, Justice Applegarth said.
Puglia showed no respect for his parents’ bodies or concern for the trauma caused for those who would discover them.
The court heard Franco Puglia was an insurance assessor and Loris Puglia worked for Guide Dogs Australia. “(They) were contributors to society…the decades of life that lay ahead of them should have been full of pleasure, rewards for a life of work, and the company of friends and family.
“Your murderous actions are unexplained. To say you were resentful ungrateful, uncaring and selfish does not begin to explain the enormity of your actions, ‘’Justice Applegarth said.
The court heard Puglia, then 31, moved onto his parents’ 6,000 square metre property at Joyner in early 2020 after losing his job as a result of the pandemic.
He was living in a detached area on the property but did not look for a job or assist his parents with household chores.
His parents had become increasingly frustrated with his behaviour and aggression, and their relationship with their son deteriorated.
Puglia moved in and out of the family home with his parents repeatedly giving him “once chance after another” while he promised to meet their expectations.
“There were aggressive, physical acts by you towards your parents…On the afternoon of 16 May, 2020, you, your parents and a family friend visited your father’s parents. You told your grandparents that you hated living at your parent’s house. Your grandparents suggested you get a job and move out.
“That was good advice. If you had heeded it, you would not be in the dock of the Supreme Court about to be sentenced to imprisonment for life. Your parents would be alive,’’ Justice Applegarth said.
He read part of a victim impact statement from Dino and Sara Puglia who said the loss of Franco and Loris has shattered their family in ways that are indescribable”.
Justice Applegarth said the sudden and violent loss of loved ones left an irreplaceable void.
He said hoped Puglia’s victims could erase him as best they can from their memories and thoughts.
“You forfeited any claim to be treated as a member of their family when you killed your parents. Hopefully, they can replace thoughts of you with thoughts of happy times, shared with Franco and Loris Puglia, and their achievements,’’ Justice Applegarth.
Life imprisonment for the murders was the only sentence to be passed for Puglia’s crimes, he said.
“Despite your lack of a criminal history, these murders are of a gravity that warrants a non-parole period that reflects their brutality. I accept that there is no evidence that they are planned or organised long in advance. An aggravating feature is that each was a domestic violence offence.
“This is not a murder that arose from excessive self-defence or some extenuating circumstances. It is a double murder. These were callous, brutal murders, where death came from several blows, delivered with deadly force…” Justice Applegarth said.
Puglia will not be eligible to apply for parole until 2050.
