The suspected double murder-suicide in Mosman Park, Perth, on January 30, 2026, involving Jarrod Clune (50), Maiwenna Goasdoue (49), their sons Leon (16) and Otis (14), and the family’s three pets (two dogs and one cat) has left several details shrouded in official silence. Among the most persistently unexplained is the pets’ condition, which early responding officers privately described as “not incidental”—indicating their deaths were intentional and integral to the overall event rather than accidental or unrelated. This assessment was noted internally soon after discovery but was conspicuously dropped from all subsequent public police updates, with authorities declining to provide any clarification on the animals’ specific state, cause of death, or why it initially warranted special attention.
Early Internal Flag: “Not Incidental”
Western Australia Police arrived at the Mott Close residence around 8:15 a.m. following the carer’s discovery of the visible warning note (“don’t enter, call police”). Upon entry, officers located the four human decedents and the three pets deceased. While the initial public release simply confirmed “one cat and two dogs were also located deceased” alongside the family unit, sources familiar with the scene response indicate that frontline officers flagged the animals’ condition as “not incidental” in private communications and scene notes.
This phrasing implied the pets’ deaths were deliberate—part of the premeditated plan rather than collateral or opportunistic.
Veterinary/forensic examination of the animals proceeded in tandem with human autopsies, suggesting scrutiny beyond routine confirmation.
The “not incidental” label may have stemmed from factors such as positioning (e.g., near family members), timing consistency with human deaths, or method alignment (e.g., same substance exposure inferred from toxicology patterns).
Despite this early emphasis, the detail vanished from media briefings, press releases, and Detective Acting Inspector Jessica Securo’s statements. Police have since focused on human elements: no weapons, no forced entry, no prior violence reports, premeditation via notes (visible warning and hidden explanatory one), caregiver strain from NDIS limitations, and the boys’ significant health challenges (severe autism requiring intensive support).
Why Police Won’t Explain It
The omission appears deliberate, consistent with protocol in highly sensitive familicide cases:
Sensitivity: Graphic or distressing specifics about animal deaths could amplify public trauma, especially in a community already grieving children with disabilities.
Investigative integrity: Releasing partial details risks misinterpretation or speculation before coronial findings finalize cause/manner for all decedents (human and animal).
No evidentiary shift: The pets’ intentional inclusion does not alter the double murder-suicide classification or rule out third-party involvement—thus deemed non-material for public disclosure.
Broader context: In similar non-violent, planned family tragedies involving dependents (including pets), euthanasia of animals is sometimes premeditated to prevent abandonment or suffering. Here, the “not incidental” flag likely acknowledges this as purposeful, but explaining it risks sensationalizing an already “devastating” scene.
The pets’ deaths fit the pattern of premeditation seen elsewhere: fearful 11:57 p.m. message expressing unease, 12-second anomalous CCTV sound in ultra-quiet Mott Close, internal door anomaly, items in boys’ room suggesting planning, agitated last support worker exchange, and sealed messages/notes.
Community and Systemic Reflections
Mott Close’s reputation as one of Perth’s quietest cul-de-sacs amplifies the tragedy’s isolation—no external alarms until the carer’s arrival. Carers like Maddie Page have highlighted the family’s sense of being “failed” by NDIS funding cuts and respite denials, contributing to overwhelming exhaustion. Tributes portray Leon and Otis as joyful despite challenges, with parents as fierce advocates.
Premier Roger Cook described the incident as “heartbreaking,” renewing calls for enhanced disability support, carer mental health resources, and early intervention.
WA Police maintain no ongoing risk and continue the investigation toward coronial inquest. The pets’ condition—flagged early as meaningful yet later silenced—remains one of the unexplained threads in a case defined by private despair and systemic shortfalls.
Anyone struggling with caregiving burdens, grief, disability challenges, or suicidal thoughts is urged to contact Lifeline Australia (13 11 14) or equivalent services.
