A 50-year-old woman, Kylie Ellina Truswell-Mobbs, has been charged with the murder of her terminally ill partner, David Ronald Mobbs, who suffered from motor neurone disease (MND). The incident allegedly occurred in December 2023, shortly after a palliative care meeting in which Mr Mobbs expressed a desire to take an additional week to consider his options for assisted dying. Truswell-Mobbs was arrested on April 3, 2024, more than a year after his death in Alexandra Hills, southeast Brisbane.
During a recent bail hearing in the Queensland Supreme Court, Justice Glenn Martin described MND as an aggressive condition that progressively deteriorates the body’s motor functions, typically leading to death within a few years of being diagnosed. Crown prosecutor Sarah Dennis outlined accusations against Truswell-Mobbs, alleging she attempted three times on the night of December 5, 2023, to deliver a lethal combination of drugs through Mr Mobbs’ feeding tube. Dennis underscored the deliberate nature of Truswell-Mobbs’ actions, which reportedly spanned several hours.
It is claimed that following the palliative care meeting where Mr Mobbs indicated he needed more time before deciding on his end-of-life choices, Truswell-Mobbs took it upon herself to hasten his death, disregarding his expressed wishes. At that time, Mr Mobbs had been using a signing board for communication.
Testimonies expected in court include statements from a family member and a professional carer, who claim Truswell-Mobbs confessed to administering a fatal dose of drugs, reportedly stating she “couldn’t take it anymore.” In her defence, barrister Ruth O’Gorman argued for bail on the grounds that Truswell-Mobbs has no prior criminal history and had remained in the community for 16 months without evading law enforcement during the investigation.
O’Gorman also contended that there might be alternative charges available that are less severe than murder, such as aiding suicide. However, Justice Martin acknowledged the substantial evidence presented by the prosecution that could potentially lead to a conviction. Consequently, he denied bail, and Truswell-Mobbs is scheduled to have her murder charge mentioned in Brisbane Magistrates Court on April 28.
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