‘You know I’m going to jail for this’: What woman said on tape after she stabbed her husband to death
The moment a Queensland woman fatally stabbed her violent husband amid screams has been captured in confronting audio played in a Brisbane court.
Herholdt had been in a violent relationship with Murray for years and planned to escape, putting money aside in a nest egg hidden at the Murrumba Downs residence. (Image: Facebook)
“You know I’m going to jail for this,” Jean Louise Herholdt can be heard saying amid screams on the recordings in Brisbane Supreme Court on Tuesday.
Herholdt, 30, was initially charged with murder after Sean Murray died from a single stab wound to the back at their home north of Brisbane in August 2020.
Herholdt had been in a violent relationship with Murray for years and planned to escape, putting money aside in a nest egg hidden at the Murrumba Downs residence, the court heard.
However, Murray discovered the cash and took it, sparking an emotion-charged argument that was captured on the home’s CCTV camera audio.
Two five-minute recordings were played after Justice Peter Davis warned the public gallery of its confronting content.
The initial audio features a heated exchange while the second includes the moment Murray is fatally stabbed.
A man can be heard saying “stop it, stop it” before others scream as Herholdt at some stage grabs the knife.
Murray was stabbed in the lungs and died soon afterwards. The wound was 15cm deep.
In between the two recordings Murray had assaulted Herholdt in their front yard and dragged her back inside, the court heard.
Neighbours had witnessed Murray’s violence and called police, defence barrister Andrew Hoare said.
Herholdt became enraged as Murray tried to “create a facade of calm” before officers arrived and stabbed her husband, the court heard.
Herholdt – a trained nurse – can be heard on audio continuing to abuse her husband and demand he return the money before realising the seriousness of the injury.
She can be heard asking others to call an ambulance and tells them to apply pressure to the wound, saying “I love you” and “you know I’m going to jail for this”.
“Given the emotionally charged state of the situation that is graphically depicted by the recordings I wouldn’t be taking lack of remorse from that really,” Justice Davis said.
The court heard Herholdt stabbed Murray in anger but did not intend to kill him.
“My client had been subjected to financial constraints for years and isolated from her family and isolated from her friends (by Murray),” Hoare said.
Herholdt pleaded guilty to manslaughter on Tuesday.
Justice Davis reserved his decision and will sentence Herholdt – who has been in custody for 27 months – at a date to be fixed.
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