Cairns: 9yo girl ran to neighbours for help after dad shot mum in Mount Sheridan home

A Mount-Sheridan resident has shared the heartbreaking moment a nine-year-old girl raced to her door and said her dad had shot her mum, in a suspected murder-suicide that has rattled Far North Queensland.

Police and emergency services were called to a property on Verbena Drive around 7.15pm to conduct a welfare check.

A sudden death investigation is now underway after police discovered the bodies of Krystel and James Paul, both 41, inside the home.

Police confirmed the couple’s bodies were located in the bathroom and in the main room of the house.

Mount Sheridan resident Danna Lancini spoke to the Cairns Post about the moment the couple’s daughter ran to her home after tragedy struck.

“I had to comfort her last night because she told me her mum was dead,” Ms Lancini said.

“(The girl) said my dad sent me here because she’s dead.

“(My husband) heard the two, ‘bang, bang’, and then the daughter was on our front door.

“The two shots must have been when she was running.”

Ms Lancini said she cared for the young girl while waiting for her family to pick her up.

“(Her dad) told her to run to (my) house and then ring her grandma and tell her that the mum’s dead,” she revealed.

“I didn’t believe it … (but) he must’ve rung the ambulance because when I looked out, the police were there.

“It happened all at once … the daughter was in shock, and the police didn’t really say anything.”

Ms Lancini’s husband said he heard two loud bangs around 7.15pm, but thought it was another neighbour working on home renovations.

“He thought it was the neighbour doing something … but when he thought about it, (he said) it might have been guns,” she said.

Cairns Police Detective Acting Inspector Alina Bell confirmed the nine-year-old girl had left the family home just moments before both her parents died from gunshot wounds.

Detective Bell said the child had been “alerted to the incident occurring” before she reached out to family members and neighbours, leading to a triple-0 call.

“We provided an immediate response due to the concerns of the welfare of the occupants of that house, and unfortunately, upon arrival, both male and female were located deceased,” she said in a press conference.

“We do not believe that (the child) was present or witnessed any of the incident that occurred.”

Detective Bell said the couple were not known to police, and there were no records of domestic violence or mental health issues at the home.

However, it has been reported that Mr Paul was a registered gun owner. It is unknown at this stage which gun was used in the suspected murder-suicide.

Ms Lancini said that the couple were “childhood sweethearts” who had been living in Cairns for a while.

“I never would’ve expected this to happen to them, there were no signs, nothing – they were just so good.”

Another neighbour said he was shocked to hear what had occurred in the usually quiet street.

A crime scene has been established and investigations are underway to establish why the tragedy occurred.

If you or someone you know is experiencing family violence, phone 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) or the Crisis Care Helpline on 1800 199 008.

Lifeline: 13 11 14.