A man from New South Wales, Luke Simon, has been sentenced to 31 years in prison for the murder of his daughter’s fiancé, Damien Conlon, just months before the couple was set to marry. The tragic incident occurred in February 2023 at Simon’s home in Oberon, where he shot Conlon in the head.
CCTV footage presented during the trial captured the last moments of Conlon’s life as he approached Simon’s house and engaged in a brief conversation with him. The recorded exchange included Simon inviting Conlon to "have a look at the cabinet," shortly before the fatal shot was fired.
Prior to the shooting, Simon had been seen on CCTV searching through a safe for a firearm, indicating an alarming intent. After retrieving the weapon, he made threatening comments, including remarks that implied he would kill Conlon, saying, “That’s the one that’s going to put him to sleep,” followed by “See you later f** Damien. You’re f** gone. You’re gone.”
The relationship between Simon and the couple had deteriorated as they all lived together in the same property. Hostilities heightened when Simon received a notice to vacate a granny flat to facilitate renovations for Conlon and his daughter, Linda. The stress from this change appeared to contribute to Simon’s violent decision.
In a poignant victim impact statement, Linda expressed her devastation over the loss, stating that Simon couldn’t confront Conlon “like a man” and lamented that his actions had unfairly deprived their four children of their father’s love. She also mentioned that their son still roams the house searching for his dad.
Simon, who was an army veteran, will have the opportunity for parole in 22 years after serving a calculated sentence reflective of the severity of his crime, which brutally ended a life and shattered a family.