In a deeply emotional confrontation, Nicholas Crossthwaite-Petrov and his sister Jesmine have faced their father, Emil Petrov, following his conviction for the murder of their mother, Cindy Crossthwaite, nearly 17 years after her death. Nicholas, overcome with emotion, poignantly stated, “She gave me her eyes, and lucky she did because you took hers,” directed at his father in a moment of reckoning.
Cindy was found deceased in her Melton South home on June 20, 2007, when Nicholas was just seven years old. Her baby son, Jonas, only 13 months old at the time, was discovered unharmed nearby, while her daughter Jesmine, who was nine, vividly remembers the horror of seeing blood through their home window, an image that continues to haunt her to this day.
The jury’s verdict, delivered on December 11, concluded that Emil Petrov either orchestrated the murder or committed it himself. The prosecution described Petrov, who had already been on bail since 2019, as someone driven by animosity towards Cindy, particularly amidst a fraught separation that began in 2005. Reports indicate that he choked Cindy and then shot her at close range, leaving her lifeless body covered in a blanket when her father, Phillip Crossthwaite, discovered her.
During the court proceedings, emotional testimonies outlined the extensive impact of Cindy’s murder on her family. Jesmine described the continuum of anguish from that day forward, and her father echoed a lifelong suspicion that it was Emil who had harmed her daughter. “I refused to give Cindy away at her wedding as I had an instant dislike of Petrov,” he recounted. Cindy’s best friend expressed frustration over how Cindy’s fears about Petrov were not taken seriously by authorities before her death.
Emil Petrov appeared unfeeling during the pre-sentence hearings, with his defence barrister noting that Petrov accepts he may spend a significant part of his life behind bars. He has consistently denied any involvement in the crime. However, prosecutors argued that the extended delay in charges allowed Petrov to live his life freely, contradicting any suggestion that he was an innocent party.
As sentencing approaches, with the possibility of life imprisonment looming, Nicholas reflected on his experience, stating he received nothing but emptiness from his father during their confrontation, saying, “It makes you lose faith in the world. I just want to be able to heal and he won’t let me do that.” The final judgement is set for April 16, marking another chapter in this tragic family saga.