Leonard Warwick, a notorious figure linked to a series of violent attacks in Sydney during the 1980s, has passed away at the age of 78 at Long Bay Hospital on Sunday morning. Warwick was convicted in 2020 for six of seven shootings and bombings that created terror in the city. His crimes included the murder of Family Court Judge David Opas and the fatal bombings of Pearl Watson and Graham Wykes. The violence stemmed from a bitter custody battle over his daughter with ex-wife Andrea Blanchard.
Opas was shot dead at his home in Woollahra in June 1980, and Justice Richard Gee’s family suffered injuries from a bombing in 1984. Warwick was sentenced to three life terms for his actions. His final bombing targeted a Jehovah’s Witness hall in Casula, resulting in Wykes’s death and injuring thirteen others.
Following Warwick’s death, a mandatory investigation will take place, as any death in custody is reported to the NSW Coroner and subjected to a thorough public inquiry, according to Corrective Services NSW. All deaths in custody are also investigated by both Corrective Services and the NSW Police, regardless of the circumstances.