A young mother who was brutally beaten to death by her drug addict boyfriend planned to leave him and had even warned friends that he would kill her in chilling final texts.
Bekkie-Rae Curren-Trinca, 28, of Warrnambool, Victoria, was beaten to death by her partner Paul McDonough in November 2019 after being released from prison on bail for an unrelated crime.
The mother of a two-year-old daughter had already been in contact with domestic violence emergency services six times and was about to report McDonough to the police.
But Ms Curren-Trinca’s devastated family believes she has been “abandoned by the system,” revealing that responders told them her injuries were “the worst incident of domestic violence they’d ever seen.”
“The senseless, cruel and inhumane nature of her death has traumatized us,” said Demi Trinca, the victim’s sister.
Bekkie-Rae Curren-Trinca, 28, of Warrnambool, Victoria, was beaten to death by her abusive partner Paul McDonough in November 2019
McDonough messaged Ms Curren-Trinca (pictured together) promising not to abuse her: “Come home darling, I promise I won’t get started on you,” he wrote.
“The vivid memories I have of my sister lying in the hospital screaming as her brain slowly died left a lasting mark on my psyche.”
The court heard that McDonough, 40, assaulted Ms Curren-Trinca after she returned home from prison to the flat they shared on 26 November 2019 to find she had packed her bags and left him.
He had been released on bail for unrelated weapons offences.
Neighbors reported seeing McDonough chasing Ms. Curren-Trinca down the street as she tried to escape at around 5:30 p.m.
She was limping badly and looked upset. McDonough forced her back into the house, where he viciously beat her until she was unconscious.
Neighbors reportedly heard banging and slamming doors for half an hour.
“Come back later,” McDonough said to a concerned neighbor who went to check on them.
The court heard of the disturbing texts exchanged between Ms Curren-Trinca and her abusive partner
In chilling foresight, the mother-of-one warned her killer where his abuse could lead
The next morning, McDonough called emergency services from a nearby payphone and told them there was “a lady who needs help” at his address.
When she was found, Mrs. Curren-Trinca’s body was covered in bruises, her hair was covered in blood, and her two black eyes were so swollen they could not be opened.
Hours earlier, she had told a friend she was afraid “one day he would kill her,” the Herald Sun reported that.
In the weeks leading up to her death, she had also sought help from a domestic violence shelter.
In a chilling text message to McDonough a week before he took her life, Mrs Curren-Trinca wrote: ‘You hurt my face and my eye and could easily kill me.
“I get angry because my daughter needs me and you could easily take that away from her.”
In other confrontational messages, McDonough had begged her to come home, promising not to hit her.
“Come home honey, I promise I won’t bring you up,” he wrote.
She replied, “I don’t like c**** approving or violently treating women, I don’t deserve it…”
McDonough was initially charged with intentionally causing serious injury after Ms Curren-Trinca was flown to Royal Melbourne Hospital in critical condition.
But a murder charge was filed when her life support was turned off days later on Dec. 4.
Ms Curren-Trinca’s family said she was ‘let down’ by the system
McDonough turned himself in to police a day after the bashing
McDonough pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter on December 8 last year.
His lawyer told the court that McDonough, who turned himself in to police a day after the assault, was suffering from a “series of complex mental health problems” at the time, including schizophrenia.
He will be sentenced at a later date.
Kirsty Trinca, the victim’s sister-in-law, told 9News“The only reason she was at the house that day was because he thought she thought he wouldn’t be there.”
“He was locked up and then that Monday came and he was released on bail. The system has definitely failed her.”
The victim’s sister, Demi Trinca, said McDonough had shown “no remorse.”
“There’s regret because he got caught, but that’s it.”
She added, “There are so many repeat offenders in the world who get away with it over and over again.”
If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, call: 1800 Respect (1800 737 732)