Horrifying footage captures moment ‘towering’ teen thug murders grandmother in front of young granddaughter

The horrifying moment a grandmother was murdered in an underground carpark by a “towering” teen thug – all in front of her young granddaughter – has been revealed in court.

Chilling footage of the final moments of Vyleen White was tracked on CCTV at the shopping centre, southwest of Brisbane, before the armed and masked teenager moves into frame.

The never-before-seen footage horrified members of the public at Brisbane Supreme Court, during the teen’s sentencing on Wednesday.

Ms White, 70, was fatally stabbed in the underground carpark of Town Square Redbank Plains Shopping Centre on February 3, 2024 during a carjacking attempt.

The attack occurred in front of Ms White’s infant granddaughter.

Earlier this year, the teen – then 16 – pleaded guilty to a single charge of murder and other charges of stealing and unlawful use of a motor vehicle.

On Wednesday, Ms White’s family – including her widower Victor and the couple’s three daughters – stared down the teen during a sentencing hearing at Brisbane Supreme Court.

The court was told the teen and his associates were hanging around the Redbank Plains shopping centre on the day of the offence, with CCTV capturing the group in a stairwell.

Crown prosecutor Chris Cook said they were drinking vodka when the teen left and attended a grocery store, stealing some items.

He then returned to the group and later attended McDonalds, taking a bottle of water and fleeing.

Mr Cook said half-an-hour later, the same teen took four bottles of vodka from a Liquorland store.

The court was told the group went to a vacant house at Redbank Plains Rd behind the McDonalds where they continued drinking for several hours.

Mr Cook said the teen who committed the murder had covered his face and changed clothing when he left the property and went to the Redbank Plains shopping centre.

“The genesis of the murder is important … there is some attempt to avoid detection,” Mr Cook said.

“This was more than just a moment of madness. This is a man, armed and disguised, going in with the attempt to steal a car.”

Ms White arrived at the centre about 6pm in her blue Hyundai Getz.

Mr Cook said the teen moved quickly to Ms White as she left her car, demanding the keys, before stabbing her.

CCTV footage of the attack was played to the court, showing Ms White’s car pulling into one of the parking spots in the mostly empty car park.

She is seen exiting the car with her granddaughter.

In another frame, the teen is seen quickly running towards the pair and confronting Ms White as she moves offscreen.

The moment of the stabbing was not displayed but Ms White’s horrified granddaughter is seen reacting to the fatal wound.

The same teen is then seen running and checking the door of the adjacent vehicle, before gaining access to Ms White’s Hyundai.

“It goes to the mindset he didn’t care what car he was taking,” Mr Cook said.

Ms White’s granddaughter is seen running up the shopping centre escalators to get help.

Mr Cook said there was a “lack of hesitation” in the teen’s act and described it as a “particularly heinous” offence.

“This was a man who knew what he was doing,” he said.

“He is not a man who has forgotten about this act.”

At 6.45pm, the teen and his group were captured on surveillance cameras along Greenleaf Ave in Springfield Lakes – about 15 minutes from where Ms White was stabbed.

Mr Cook said the same teenager made a phone call that night, speaking in Arabic and referencing the knife.

Ms White’s granddaughter sought the help of shoppers and a doctor, but emergency services were unable to resuscitate her.

The teenager was arrested by police a day later.

When interviewed, he claimed to not recall the events – something Mr Cook said was “dishonesty” and was not accepted by the Crown.

He drew attention to the teen’s “towering” figure and the fact the teen was on bail for unrelated armed robberies at the time.

Multiple victim impact statements were tendered to Chief Justice Helen Bowskill.

In his statement, Victor White said Vyleen was his “person” and assisted him with his poor eyesight.

Mr White said the loss of Vyleen – his partner of 50 years – was “constant” and accelerated the deterioration of his eyesight – saying he felt the injustices of what had occurred.

“I will live with the daily absence of her … you didn’t just take away my sight, you took away any vision of the future,” Mr Cook read from the statement.

“I can’t escape from the reminders. Every day I hear another person is murdered.

“I live with the knowledge my life will never be the same.“This crime has left me and my family broken in ways words can never fully capture.”

Cindy Micallef, Ms White’s daughter, revealed the struggle of “the worst nightmare she could imagine”.

She described Vyleen as a “champion” who was one of her “dearest friends” and lamented she could not “take her mother’s place”.

“Brokenness, loneliness, heartache, anger … my beautiful daughters have been robbed of their grandmother,” Mr Cook read from Ms Micallef’s statement.

“Her absence has left a hole in our family that can never be replaced.”

Ms White’s daughter Denise addressed the court about losing her “anchor” and how her life had changed dramatically as a result.

“I feel lifeless, my memory feels broken, I shake uncontrollably at times,” she sobbed.

“I still have brief moments where I always forget and try to talk to her – only to be brutally reminded she is not here.”

Denise revealed her hobbies and passions now felt “meaningless” after her mother’s death.

“I have lost my sense of stability, faith and hope,” she said.

The young child who witnessed Ms White’s murder said she felt “scared and unsafe” and she felt “very worried” about her parents going to court.

“She wasn’t just my nanny, she was my friend,” Mr Cook said.

“Sometimes I worry about falling asleep.

“I feel like mum and dad are a lot more protective now. I didn’t get hurt that time, but I feel scared.”

Ms White’s death sparked outrage over youth crime in Queensland and led to reforms of the state’s justice system.

Part of this included new laws allowing courts to sentence youths as adults on some offences, which were passed by the newly elected LNP government.

The hearing continues.