He forced her to inhale toxic fumes. He placed a rope around her neck, He asphyxiated her. He hung her body in the garage. He planted a photograph and a letter nearby. He told authorities and her loved ones, she ended her own life.
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Police failed to investigate her death as a homicide.
Two years later he burned her home down and claimed the insurance.
It’s been more than 18 months since Coroner Robert Webster revealed his findings into the death of Helen Francis Bird on July 8, 2010 at Blackmans Bay, Tasmania.
Webster ruled Mark Gordon Bird killed Helen.
Despite the coronial findings, Tasmania Police have confirmed they will not charge Bird with murder or manslaughter as there is not enough evidence to support his prosecution.
Helen dedicated her working life to helping others. The palliative care nurse had never indicated she was suicidal.
Helen’s death is just one of countless hidden homicides in Australia – deliberately killed women who are victims of male violence but whose deaths are overlooked because police deem them suicide, misadventure, accident or natural causes.
“While Mrs Bird was incapacitated, Bird has then placed a rope around Mrs Bird’s neck and he has partially suspended her resulting in death by asphyxiation,” the coroner found,” Webster said.
“Bird has then made the scene look like a suicide scene by placing Mrs Bird’s phone, a photograph and a letter on the work bench in the garage.
“Mr Bird then gave a false version of events to police, and to friends and family, that he had come home and entered the house, but Mrs Bird was not present.
“He has then said he went into the backyard and phoned her mobile, and upon hearing her phone was ringing in the garage he entered the garage.
“He then falsely told police, family and friends he observed Mrs Bird hanging by a rope from the rafter of the shed.”
Because police investigated Helen’s death as suicide, not homicide, they missed opportunities to gather vital evidence that would have put Bird behind bars.
Helen deserves better than this!
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