'Breathtakingly evil': Pair pleaded for their lives from sinking toolbox. Video / 10 News
An Australian court has lashed at a group of men - including two who are believed to be New Zealanders - for their "senseless yet sadistic" killing of two people stuffed into a toolbox that was found at the bottom of a lagoon.
Bloodied, beaten and tied up, Cory Bretonand Iuliana Triscaru spent their last living moments pleading for their lives.
The pair had been tortured for hours by the group of men before being stuffed into a large metal toolbox that was dumped in a lagoon south of Brisbane.
On Monday, Stou Daniels, Trent Michael Thrupp and Davy Malu Junior Taiao were each jailed for life for the depraved murders.
Four other people received jail sentences for their respective roles in the pair's deaths.
After a three-week trial and just over two hours of deliberation, a jury found Daniels, Thrupp and Taiao guilty on all counts.
Walker was cleared of murder but found guilty of manslaughter.
Throughout the trial, the court was told Breton and Triscaru were lured to a unit in Kingston on January 24, 2016, where they were assaulted and secured with zip ties and duct tape.
Breton had a photo of one of the men, Daniels, on his phone at the time.
Daniels was suspicious he was being set up.
The pair were forced into the toolbox and confined there for hours before they were driven to Scrubby Creek, near Logan.
There, weighed down by concrete blocks and tyres, the toolbox was forcibly sunk into the muddy waters.
Iuliana Triscaru and Cory Breton were tortured for hours before being stuffed into a large metal toolbox that was dumped in a lagoon south of Brisbane. Photos / Supplied
Breton and Triscaru's decomposed bodies were discovered in the box by police in February, weeks after they were reported missing.
"Each victim died in a cold, watery grave," Justice David Boddice said.
"They are despicable crimes … perpetrated against two defenceless individuals.
"Disgracefully, in their final hours, you deprived them of being able to look at each other … they were placed in that toolbox so each had to look at each others' feet.
Justice Boddice said as a final indignity, rubbish was loaded into the toolbox with them "as if they were in a garbage bin".
Crown prosecutor David Meredith told the court today that Daniels was the "ringleader" and the events were driven by his paranoia over Breton's photo.
He said Breton and Triscaru must have known they were going to die while imprisoned in the toolbox.
"The psychological aspects [of torture] were appalling," Meredith said.
He said Thrupp showed "no remorse" through the events and continued to do Daniels' bidding "right up to the end".
The court was told Walker had the choice of not participating in the events but went back, either out of intimidation or to secure his supply of methylamphetamine.
Walker fled the country when he found out about the pair's deaths and lied to police.
'How can anyone think this is acceptable?'
In a tearful victim impact statement, Cory's widow Miranda Parkinson said she had not been able to properly grieve the loss of her partner for years.
"It has been hard, painful for everyone who loves Cory but most of all for our daughter," she said.
She began sobbing as she described Cory as an amazing father to their young daughter and questioned how anyone could decide why their life should be taken away.
She described every day as a "rollercoaster" and found herself wondering "how much he suffered" in the end.
"He was an amazing family man … he was a great father and loved watching [his daughter] grow," Breton said.
"Cory was the glue that held our family together and this tragedy has absolutely destroyed it.
"The person I shared my childhood memories with is gone … I will have no-one to remind me of them.
"Every day is overshadowed by the fact he is not here to celebrate with us … I have nights I cannot sleep because it all goes over and over in my head."
Trio not eligible for parole for 30 years
Viktoria Duga, the mother of Iuliana Triscaru, described how her life was turned upside down because of the killing.
