‘It wasn’t supposed to go down like that’
Everything we know about mum’s home invasion death
INVESTIGATORS are still probing what led to the death of Toowoomba mum Debbie Combarngo on Sunday afternoon. Over the last week, The Chronicle has been in court for the proceedings of the nine accused of roles in the 37-yearold’s demise.
What has been revealed in the court room, and by official police sources since the incident six days ago, paints a picture of what happened in the Wilsonton unit where Ms Combarngo was attacked.
Police have charged nine people in relation to the incident they are calling a violent home invasion.
They are: Lynn Fay Jean Anderson, Shiralee Fernando, Ashley Aaron Fing, Rhianna Jade Fing, Ty Peter Fing, Christine Maree Hall, Jana Leigh Hall, Rhonda Ann Hall and Joshua James Lingwoodock.
The group were known to the deceased.
They are currently charged with two counts of assault occasioning bodily harm while armed and entering a dwelling with intent in company.
No one has been charged with murder.
WEAPONS USED DURING ORDEAL
Police prosecutor Sergeant Natalie Bugden detailed the weapons the group were armed with during a submission to the court on Tuesday.
“Fernando was armed with a golf club, Christine Hall was armed with a metal pole, Rhonda Hall was armed with a metal pole and a knife,” she said.
What happened next is still not clear.
MORE THAN ONE VICTIM OF ATTACK
What we do know, is that two other witnesses were assaulted during the attack.
One was Debbie Combarngo’s 20-year-old daughter Claudia.
Police also revealed this week Debbie was a visitor to the unit, and not residing there.
“Two witnesses at the house, Ms (Claudia) Combarngo because she is in the bedroom and being assaulted by these persons, and Mr Hooper who is in a separate altercation with others,” Jana Leigh Hall’s solicitor Chris Lumme told the court on Tuesday.
The witness statements read out in court detail what police allege led to Debbie’s death.
“(Christine Maree Hall) has certainly been identified by the complainant and seems to be a key player in the events that took place in the house,” Sergeant Bugden told the court on Tuesday.
“She certainly admits that she was present at the time, certainly makes some admissions in relation to assaulting Debbie Combarngo.
“She admits using a hammer to assault Debbie Combarngo.”
WITNESS HEARD DECEASED SCREAM
Police also allege one of the witnesses in the house who was also assaulted heard screams from another room in the unit as the melee played out.
“The witness has observed (Rhianna Jade Fing) to be at the address at the time of the offence,” Fing’s solicitor Alysha Jacobsen told the court on Tuesday.
“He has advised that he has witnessed her near the bathroom door as he came out of the bathroom.
“But at the same time he has then witnessed six or seven other females run into the room and that has when he has heard the screaming from the deceased and the other victim.
“Your honour there is no allegation in relation to my client that she has actually been involved with the violence or actually assaulted any of the victims.
“And there is no allegation that she has been the one with the weapon.”
EMOTIONALLY CHARGED HEARING
On Tuesday, chaotic and emotional scenes erupted as the nine were hauled in front of the magistrate for the first time.
Acting Magistrate Robert Walker was forced to adjourn the court during the hearing of Christine Maree Hall.
Hall began screaming from the dock, prompting outbursts from family and Debbie Combarngo’s daughter Claudia.
“Claudia it wasn’t supposed to go down like that baby,” Hall said during the outburst.
“It wasn’t supposed to go down like that. Where are my babies?”
“No, where is my mother,” Claudia Combarngo is believed to have yelled back.
Hall was denied bail, while six of her co-accused did not make an application.
TWO ACCUSED GRANTED BAIL
Two, however, were release from the Toowoomba watchouse this week. Jana Leigh Hall, who the court heard is four months pregnant, and Rhianna Jade Fing were both granted bail after spending four days in custody.
Both were escorted by half a dozen police officers to their waiting cars.
The heightened security came after Fing’s solicitor did not want her client’s bail address on the public record out of fear of retribution from the deceased’s family.
APPEAL FOR HELP
Police appealed for public help with the investigation on Wednesday, claiming that: “The cause of death is known but what caused it and how the injury was caused and who delivered it is what our investigation is all about.”