A teenage girl is reportedly at the center of a love triangle that led to a series of violent events, culminating in the tragic death of an Indigenous teenager. This teenager is set to stand trial for murder.
Warning: This article contains names and images of a deceased person, which may be distressing to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers.
Fifteen-year-old Cassius Turvey, a Noongar Yamatji boy, passed away in the hospital on October 23, 2022, after being brutally attacked 10 days earlier. He was allegedly assaulted in Perth’s eastern suburbs on October 13, 2022, when he was ambushed, knocked to the ground, and struck in the head with a metal pole.
Jack Steven James Brearley (23), Brodie Lee Palmer (29), Mitchell Colin Forth (26), and Aleesha Louise Gilmore (23) are standing trial for his murder in the Western Australian Supreme Court, a charge they deny.
Prosecutors argue that Cassius’ death was the tragic conclusion of a series of unrelated events. These incidents began on October 9, when Forth, Brearley, Gilmore, and another man allegedly abducted two children off the street, subjecting one of them to a violent attack involving punches, kicks, and stabbings. The violence was reportedly linked to a love triangle involving Gilmore’s 14-year-old brother, his girlfriend (whose identity cannot be disclosed for legal reasons), and another teenager. Social media exchanges between the boys allegedly led to a confrontation.
Three days later, on October 12, a group of school-aged children allegedly retaliated by smashing the windows of Brearley’s car at Gilmore’s residence. The prosecution claims this act was likely in response to the earlier violence.
The following day, Gilmore’s brothers allegedly warned her that a group of teens might show up looking for trouble. In response, Brearley, Forth, and Palmer armed themselves with metal poles taken from shopping trolleys and knuckle dusters, and, with Gilmore, set off in search of the youths.
Brearley reportedly said, “Somebody smashed my car and they’re about to die,” as they searched for the teens. The group eventually encountered about 20 school-aged children, including Cassius. Brearley was reportedly seen wielding a metal pole and “hunting for kids,” while Cassius and the others tried to escape into nearby bushland. Tragically, Cassius didn’t make it to the fence when Brearley allegedly caught up with him and struck him at least twice in the head.
The trial continues today, with Gilmore’s younger brother’s girlfriend expected to testify.