The estranged spouse of killer Adrian Torrens has revealed how he despatched a barrage of texts threatening to kill her and her son on the night time he murdered teenager Audrey Griffin.
Ironwoman athlete Audrey, 19, was discovered useless in Erina Creek on the NSW Central Coast in March. Police initially mentioned her loss of life was not suspicious.
However final week they arrested Torrens, 53, over her homicide after he was recognized in newly-released CCTV footage. Three days later, Torrens took his personal life whereas in custody in Sydney‘s Silverwater jail.
He was already serving a neighborhood corrections order for breaching an apprehended violence order towards his estranged spouse when he killed Audrey.
Now Torrens estranged spouse, Michelle, who doesn’t want to share her surname, has damaged her silence about her life with him.
She spoke solely to Day by day Mail Australia from her modest house on the NSW Central Coast the place she beforehand lived with Torrens and her two youngsters.
Michelle revealed that she separated with Torrens final September, simply two years after the couple had reignited their relationship, many years after first assembly at college – and she or he has since tried to dam him out of her life.
However within the hours main as much as Audrey’s homicide and after, he bombarded her with a string of chilling threats.
Michelle pictured together with her estranged husband previous to their separation seven months in the past
Audrey Griffin’s physique was discovered at Erina Creek final month
Michelle was separated from killer Adrian Torrens when he murdered teenager Audrey Griffin
‘He rang me 12 instances and since he was blocked, I used to be receiving them as textual content messages,’ she advised Day by day Mail Australia.
‘He began calling from 7pm and the final telephone name was at 12.10am on the night time he killed her.
‘He saved threatening to kill my son and I… my youngsters are utterly traumatised.’
The revelation comes after the visitors controller dedicated suicide whereas in jail three days after his arrest for Ms Griffin’s homicide.
NSW Chief Justice of the Peace Decide Michael Allen had beforehand spared Torrens jail time when he pleaded responsible to the home violence offence and as a substitute imposed an 18-month neighborhood correction order.
Torrens was arrested on Easter Monday and charged with homicide, virtually one month after Ms Griffin’s physique was found within the creek mattress close to The Entrance Street at Erina.
Police had initially handled her loss of life as a drowning after her partially submerged physique was found on the afternoon of March 24.
However that modified when Torrens confessed to the killing in a telephone name to an affiliate, which triggered a tip off to police and sparked the murder investigation.
Audrey Griffin’s mom Kathleen Kirby has issued a heartbreaking message after her loss of life
Adrian Torrens confessed to the killing in a telephone name to an affiliate, which triggered a tip off to police and sparked the murder investigation
Adrian Torrens (pictured left) reunited with highschool flame Michelle on Fb earlier than separating in 2024
Police earlier this month appealed to the general public for brand new data as they launched a CCTV screenshot of Torrens strolling close to Resort Gosford.
It was taken across the time Audrey had left her buddies and begun strolling house in direction of Terrigal about 2am, after being unable to catch an Uber experience to her father’s house.
Audrey was getting ready to start a ten week officer coaching course in April with the Royal Australian Navy.
She had visited the Central Coast – the place she grew up – to see her grandparents and invite her buddies to a farewell social gathering in Sydney the following weekend.
Detectives imagine Torrens adopted Ms Griffin, whom he did not know, from the pub earlier than assaulting her.
Police mentioned Torrens’ DNA was discovered beneath Griffin’s fingernails and {that a} witness heard a high-pitched scream within the space round 3am.
He was later arrested and charged with Griffin’s homicide after he was recognized from the CCTV footage.
A distraught Michelle says each she and Audrey had been let down by the authorized system.
She additionally revealed she and her household had been dwelling in worry for a number of months.
Greater than 1,000 mourners gathered at Terrigal Seaside final Thursday night to recollect Audrey Griffin
Audrey Griffin (left)was a eager sportswoman pictured with and her mom Kathleen (proper)
‘My coronary heart goes out to Audrey’s household,’ she mentioned.
‘I do really feel let down by the police and the decide, on the primary night time of the AVO, the very first AVO, the police took 4 hours to return right here to do a welfare examine.
‘When he breached his AVO [that was taken out] to guard me, they took 5 months to seek out him.
‘I lived in worry he would perform considered one of his threats.’
Audrey was a much-loved member of the Terrigal Sharks rugby league and native lifesaving golf equipment.
After finishing her HSC in 2023, Ms Griffin juggled coaching and a part-time job at Crown Plaza Terrigal together with research commitments at College of Know-how Sydney.
Simply weeks earlier than her loss of life, she had competed within the New Zealand half-ironman.
Audrey was additionally a former member of the Gosford Water Polo girls crew.
Tributes have been left in her reminiscence on the spot the place Audrey Griffin died
‘Audrey touched everybody, not simply in her neighborhood however all around the nation. She was the sunshine in a lot of our lives,’ a household assertion on a GoFundMe learn.
‘There isn’t any doubt she introduced limitless laughter and pleasure to everybody.
‘She was the kindest soul to stroll this earth and can all the time be in our hearts.’
Ms Griffin was additionally a devoted member of the Terrigal Wamberal Sharks rugby league membership, having performed junior and senior soccer.
‘With a larger-than-life character, and happy-go-lucky nature, Audrey would hit with sting then examine that they have been OK, after which skip to every of the scrums,’ the membership mentioned in a social media tribute to her.
‘Audrey can be sorely missed by the Sharks household, could she relaxation in peace.’
Ms Griffin’s household mentioned the 19-year-old ‘introduced limitless laughter and pleasure to everybody’. Pictured is Audrey visiting Japan
On Thursday night, greater than 1,000 folks gathered on a NSW seaside to honour Audrey simply hours after her killer was discovered useless in his jail cell.
Her mom, Kathleen Kirby, shared a heartbreaking put up hours earlier than the group, wearing white, flocked to Terrigal Seaside on the Central Coast at nightfall.
‘Let’s focus in the present day on unity, remembrance, and the love all of us share for Audrey,’ Ms Kirby mentioned.
‘It is about standing collectively, remembering her gentle, and displaying — via our presence — that we wish change, consciousness, and a safer future for everybody.’
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