The daughter of Lindy “Kimmy” Lucena, a 64-year-old woman brutally killed by her partner Robert Karl Huber, has called for justice following what she described as an act of “pure evil”. The woman, whose name remains undisclosed, shared her grief in a NSW Supreme Court hearing, haunted by the extent of her mother’s injuries after the attack on January 3, 2023. Lucena had endured a tumultuous five-year relationship with Huber, 69, marked by domestic violence.
The couple had been living in the courtyard of a Salvation Army store in Ballina, New South Wales, after becoming homeless due to the floods in 2022. After returning from a pub one evening, Huber assaulted Lucena, inflicting severe bruises and injuries. Her daughter recounted the traumatic experience of seeing her mother’s battered body, which she could barely recognise, and expressed sorrow for the fear and vulnerability Lucena must have felt in her final moments.
Describing her mother as “the bravest person” she ever knew, the daughter condemned the pervasive issues of coercive control and domestic violence that had plagued Lucena’s life. She proclaimed that the depth of her loss must be acknowledged, noting that such tragedies should not be a normal part of life. “Not everyone loses their mum at the hands of pure evil,” she emphasised, highlighting the brutal nature of her mother’s death.
Huber has been charged with manslaughter after being acquitted of murder, and he admitted to assaulting Lucena prior to the fatal incident, which included an assault that left her with a black eye days before her death. During the proceedings, the daughter expressed her frustration with bail laws that favour domestic violence offenders, especially in light of the increasing rates of women’s deaths due to domestic violence.
She also voiced concern over the response of NSW Police to an emergency call made as Lucena was being attacked, which took almost an hour to arrive. When police did come, they failed to investigate the situation adequately. In response, NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley suggested that an inquest into Lucena’s death and the police response could be warranted.
At the hearing, the daughter urged Justice Stephen Rothman to impose a significant sentence on Huber for the profound pain his actions caused. The judge noted that while Huber did not intend to inflict wounds leading to murder, the violent assault combined with Lucena’s existing health issues contributed to her death.
The sentencing phase is ongoing as the family and community seek accountability for the horrific loss they have endured amidst the broader call for systemic change to prevent further tragedies in domestic violence cases.