The heartbroken family of a couple who were hurled to death by their son have consoled each other as he was sentenced.
Christopher Puglia, 35, will serve at least three decades behind bars after admitting murdering his parents Franco and Loris Puglia with a sledgehammer at their Joyner home in Brisbane’s north on May 16, 2020.
The guilty plea came just weeks before Puglia was due to stand trial for the double murder.
He was jailed for life on each count of murder in the Brisbane Supreme Court on Tuesday as family members supported each other in the public gallery.
Relatives celebrating Mrs Puglia’s 60th birthday found the murder scene bloody and disgusting, Judge Peter Applegarth said.
Family members of Franco and Loris Puglia (centre, right) have described their heartbreak after the couple were brutally killed by their son, Christian (left)
Puglia had moved from NSW to live with his parents after losing his job during the COVID-19 pandemic, the court heard.
Their relationship worsened over Puglia’s inability to find work and help in the house.
After an argument in which the police were called, Puglia agreed to live up to his parents’ expectations while they gave him a deadline to find alternative housing.
But on Saturday May 16, after helping his father in the garden, Puglia hit his parents several times with a sledgehammer before trying to put his father’s body in a wheelbarrow.
He packed belongings including food and alcohol before driving his father’s RAV4 to Southport where he slept overnight.
The following day, Puglia drove to NSW where he was arrested south of Newcastle, hours after his parents’ bodies were found.
Images from the scene were sealed and marked ‘disturbing images’ only to be opened at the order of a judge during sentencing, with Judge Applegarth saying they were ‘enough to make me sick and I had to go for a walk’ .
Christopher Puglia, 35, pleaded guilty to murdering his parents in May 2020 by beating them repeatedly with a sledgehammer after they let him move back in during the pandemic
Puglia’s brother James (pictured) chastised him in court during the sentencing on Tuesday, saying he no longer had the right to ‘call Frank and Loris your parents’
The murderous actions of Puglia, who has no criminal history, are inexplicable, Judge Applegarth said.
“After killing your parents and realizing the magnitude of your crime, you didn’t call 911, you didn’t yell at neighbors,” he said.
‘You showed no respect for your parents’ bodies or were concerned about the trauma your aunt and uncle or a stranger would suffer when they discovered the bodies.’
‘To say you were angry, ungrateful, uncaring and selfish does not begin to explain the extent of your actions.
His brother, James Puglia, said his brother’s actions will continue to affect the family for years.
‘I have suffered more mental and physical pain than you can imagine, but I am still standing strong before you today,’ he told his brother in court.
‘For those reasons I do not understand, I choose not to understand why or what you have done because it is not worth my energy. Because I’ve wasted enough energy on you.
“You have lost the right to call Frank and Loris your parents.”
James said his brother’s actions will continue to affect the family for years.
‘How do we explain it to the next generation? The brutal event that took place.’
Loris Puglia’s sister, Nerida, told the court of her daily struggle to deal with the knowledge of what happened to her family.
‘I often find myself reminiscing about the life experiences Frank and Loris will never get to enjoy; they travel to the Italy they dreamed of, the joy of becoming grandparents, the bliss of retirement and finally living,’ she said.
‘Frank and Loris worked so hard to create this life for themselves and they will never have the simple pleasure of growing old together.’
She added that she had been robbed of future experiences, her, Loris and Franco, describing it as ‘a pain I always carry with me’.
Presiding Judge Peter Applegarth said Puglia (pictured) ‘showed no respect for the bodies of your parents’ before handing him a life sentence with a non-parole period of 30 years
Judge Applegarth described the killings as merciless and brutal and said the deaths came from multiple blows delivered with deadly force.
‘They are not explained by some developmental or psychiatric condition, or exposure to violence or sexual abuse or other severe trauma as a child.’
Judge Applegarth hoped the couple’s family could replace thoughts of the killer with thoughts of Mr and Mrs Puglia’s achievements and the happy times they had shared.
The court heard Mr Puglia was an insurance adjuster while Ms Puglia worked for guide dogs in Australia.
In sentencing Puglia to life behind bars on each count of murder, Judge Applegarth ordered that he serve 30 years before being eligible for parole.
After 2050, it would be up to the Parole Board to decide whether Puglia should be released.
“It will consider whether your rehabilitation, if any, any genuine remorse and the consideration of community protection should see you released on parole or not,” Judge Applegarth told Puglia.
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