The grieving parents of a woman allegedly murdered by her ex-husband say they feel “cheated” after he committed suicide while behind bars.
Troy Armstrong, 36, was charged with murdering Kristy Armstrong when he allegedly drove at 140km/h towards her sedan in Molong near Orange, in central west NSW, on June 9 last year.
Kristy died instantly while Armstrong suffered serious brain and spinal injuries, leaving him unable to walk or take himself to the toilet.
The couple’s two daughters, ages eight and 13, were in the back of Kristy’s sedan and were left with minor injuries.
Armstrong had not yet entered a plea when he committed suicide in his cell at the Metropolitan Remand and Reception Center in Silverwater, western Sydney, on June 4.
Kristy (pictured left) and Troy Armstrong, who allegedly killed his wife by ramming her car at high speed
Kristy’s parents, Peter and Donna Thornell, have said they will forever be haunted by their daughter’s death, with the accident taking place near their home.
“The detectives came to tell us (Armstrong had died) and my first thought was one of relief for the simple fact that the poor witnesses did not have to relive all these terrible things,” Ms Thornell said. the Daily Telegraph.
‘My second thought was: ”you selfish piece of work”
“To do it five days before Kristy’s anniversary, he took the easy way out because there was so much evidence.”
Kristy had a restraining order taken out against her husband
Kristy’s parents Donna and Peter Thornell (pictured) said they felt ‘cheated’. Armstrong took his own life in prison
Ms Thornell said Armstrong had acted aggressively towards their daughter for years and kicked her out of the family home in April 2021.
She said that when her daughter asked how it was possible for her to leave the house, Armstrong replied, “I don’t care if it’s in body bags.”
Kristy eventually filed an AVO against her husband, but her mother said ‘they don’t mean anything’ and the court order didn’t stop him from allegedly taking her life.
Mr and Mrs Thornell are now raising Kristy’s two children and say they are the reason they wake up every morning.
Police allege Armstrong deliberately struck Kristy’s sedan while traveling at 90 mph following an argument at their children’s elementary school.
During a failed bail application last year, Armstrong’s lawyer Drew Hamilton told the court he posed little risk to the community because part of his skull had been removed and he could no longer walk.
Police claim Armstrong was driving at speeds of up to 90mph to cause the crash (pictured)
But police prosecutor Carl Smith said Armstrong was “an extremely dangerous person” who had left his two daughters living in fear despite his injuries.
“(They) were terrified before this incident, they are even more terrified now,” Sergeant Smith said at the hearing.
“He knew that if he hit a car at 90 miles per hour, there was a good chance he would kill his wife, but (also) kill anyone else in that motor vehicle.”
He had not entered any pleas at the time of his death and was scheduled to appear for a hearing on July 11.
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