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The fiancee of a man allegedly shot dead by her father in the New South Wales town of Oberon has broken her silence about the horrific tragedy.
Linda Simon’s partner Damien Conlon, 38, was allegedly murdered by her army veteran father, Luke Simon, 57, while the family was on holiday in regional NSW.
The Bathurst Local Court has heard there are concerns about the accused’s mental health, but he has been refused bail and is due back in court on April 5.
Simon wrote on Facebook on February 17 the alleged murder had left a “massive hole that is impossible to fill”.
She described the crime as “senseless and violent”.
The grieving fiancee was due to marry Conlon in November this year but is now planning to fly his ashes home to Sligo in Ireland for St Patrick’s Day. The couple shared two children together, 2-year-old Mason and 11-month-old Elias. Conlon was also stepfather to Simon’s sons from her previous relationship, Brodie and Joseph.
Linda Simon and Damien Conlon. Photo / Facebook
Dreams dashed
Simon told the Irish Mirror that the pair had so many dreams that will never be realised.
“We had deposits paid on the venue, the church and everything, but unfortunately that will never be,” she said.
“That is the hardest part, all the plans we had for the future and watching our children growing up without him. We just take it day by day now, that is all we can do.”
Tragically, Simon says one of her sons “still walks around the house looking for him”.
“There’s memories of happiness and joy when we remember the good times, but then it just hits you that that’s all gone now,” she said.
“He always enjoyed showing the children woodwork, he was avid lover of motorbikes, it was just … these are the things we just miss. It really is so tough. But his family have been fantastic support for us, absolutely fantastic.”
Conlon’s nickname was “Mad Dog”, which Simon said suited him well – reflecting his big “wildcard” personality and positive attitude.
She said the injuries he suffered were so catastrophic that they could not have an open casket or fly his body back to Ireland for burial.
“He will be cremated and his ashes will come back to Ireland with me and the kids.”
The couple shared four children. Photo / Facebook
Australia the ‘best country’
Conlon moved from Ireland to Australia more than 12 years ago to start a new life when a recession hit.
In a now moving interview, he described Australia as the “best country”, according to the Daily Mail.
“There’s no better place to live, I reckon,” he said.
He initially came to Australia on a year-long working holiday visa.
However, things evolved and the carpenter successfully set up two businesses, which led to a large excavation business in Kelso, just outside Bathurst, in the NSW central west.
He met his soon-to-be wife via a dating website in 2019.
Simon said she knew he was “the one” straight away and he felt the same, Irish Times reported.
“We hit it off from the very first date,” she said. “We decided that was it, we didn’t need to meet anyone else.”
She said “everyone is struggling because nobody can say a bad word about this man”.
“He was the sort of fella you’d ring at midnight and say, ‘My shower is broken’ and he’d jump out of bed, put his boots on and come over to help.
“That’s the kind of man he was. One example is an architect he spoke to, they never met but they spoke on the phone. He’s flying 20 hours to be at his funeral, that’s how much people loved him.”
A eulogy by Conlon’s best friend Mina read out at his funeral service echoed the same sentiment.
“We moved in next door to each other weeks apart at Jordan Springs in 2016. From the moment I met him, we clicked.
“Damien was one-of-a-kind, larger than life, always living in the fast lane. He was loud, ambitious, one hell of a builder.
“Always the first one who would drop everything regardless and help, and zero judgment.
“He had so many dreams he wanted to fulfil with his family and to marry his love Linda.
“Linda and Damien were always destined to find each other and spend their lives by each other’s side.”
His brother John told the Sligo Champion that it was a “big wrench” for the family when Damien moved to Australia in 2011.
“He was determined to go because that was his dream,” he said.
“Damien and I went out the back of Benbulben Mountain at the Horseshoe and we sat down for a few hours, and he told me that he was going out to Australia to make a life for himself out there.
“Damien had a dream and he followed it, and we are all proud of how he made it come true.”
