Case 103
The Gonzales Family
Case 103
The Gonzales Family
In mid-2004, Australian real estate group LJ Hooker posted a for sale sign on the front lawn of a vacant address in North Ryde, a cosmopolitan suburb in north-western Sydney.
The stately Collins Street property caught the eye of the Lin family who were looking to settle in the area.
The vacant property had been on the market for three years, the lack of interest leading the estate’s trustee to periodically lower the asking price in the hopes the declining offer would tempt a buyer. When the Lin family expressed interest in the Collins Street house in 2004, they offered $800,000 for the property, a significant bargain as many homes just like it in the area sold for over a million. Their real estate purchase contract was quickly drafted and signed, with the new homeowners handing over an $80,000 deposit, excited for their promising future in North Ryde.
A SOLD sticker was firmly planted on the sale sign out the front of the Collins Street property, prompting local news outlets to report on the controversial purchase. Upon reading a local newspaper, the Lin family were horrified to learn of the events that had once taken place in their new home…
________
Our episodes deal with serious and often distressing incidents. If you feel at anytime you need support, please contact your local crisis centre. Some suggestions for confidential support for men, women and children:
AUSTRALIA:
Lifeline Crisis Support: 13 11 14
Beyond Blue: Depression and anxiety support: 1300 22 46 36
Rape & Domestic Violence Services: 1800 737 732
Men's Line: 1300 78 99 78
Headspace: Youth Mental Health Foundation: see headspace.org.au for your local centre
USA:
Distress & Lifeline: 1800 273 8255
Crisis Text Line: text HOME to 741 741
Domestic Violence Helpline: 1800 799 7233
Victim Connect: support for victims of crime: 855 484 2846
UK:
Mind: mental health support: 0300 123 3393
SANE: mental health support: 0300 304 7000
Samaritans support network: 116 123
National Stalking Helpline: 0808 802 0300
CANADA:
For a list of Canadian crisis centres: https://thelifelinecanada.ca/help/call/
NEW ZEALAND:
Lifeline: 0800 543354
Depression Helpline: 0800 111 757 (Text 4202)
CREDITS
NARRATION:
Episode narrated by the Anonymous Host
EPISODE:
Episode researched and written by Gemma Harris
Additional writing and editing by Milly Raso and Elsha McGill
MUSIC:
‘Flatline intro’ and ‘Come play with me’ intro and outro www.dl-sounds.com
All other music and audio clean up performed by Mike Migas and Andrew Joslyn
OTHER:
Logo design by Paulina Szymanska
RESOURCES
COURT DOCUMENTS:
BOOKS:
Unmasked: The Gonzales Family Killer – Lawrence, K.
ARTICLES:
Safe as houses: 6 Collins St, North Ryde – Finder
Mystery buyer pays $720,000 for Gonzales murder house – The Sydney Morning Herald
Agents in court over horror house – The Sydney Morning Herald
Estate agents fined over triple murder house – The Age
Gonzales house case prompts law review – The Sydney Morning Herald
We live in the Sef Gonzales murder house – Woman’s Day
Australian & New Zealand Forensic Science Society – NSW Branch Newsletter, Issue 30
Three corners of my world are gone: Sef farewells his dead family – The Sydney Morning Herald
Family killer Gonzales cries unfair treatment – Daily Telegraph
Family too scared to live in house of horror – The Sydney Morning Herald
Portrait of a once happy family: the triple murder haunting detectives – The Sydney Morning Herald
Gonzales house fails to sell – The Sydney Morning Herald
Gonzales pawned jewellery, court told – The Sydney Morning Herald
Sins of the son – The Sydney Morning Herald
Sef Gonzales loses appeal – The Sydney Morning Herald
Gonzales granted appeal – The Sydney Morning Herald
My child, my killer – The Sydney Morning Herald
A life left incomplete: only son sings a tearful farewell to his family – The Sydney Morning Herald
Bloody race hate scrawl found in death house – The Sydney Morning Herald
Police saw Gonzales as a suspect – Daily Telegraph
Sef Gonzales found guilty of family murder – ABC.net.au
Killer Sef Gonzales loses bid for new trial over life sentence for murder of mum, dad and sister – Daily Telegraph
Gonzales loses appeal over triple murder – The Sydney Morning Herald
Houses of horror – can a murder house absorb evil? – News.com.au
Man guilty of killing parents, sister – The Age
Down to his last $400, Gonzales urgently needs money for triple murder defence – The Sydney Morning Herald
Estate agents fined over triple murder house – The Age
Evidence tests key Gonzales motive – The Sydney Morning Herald
Family killer will die in jail – The Sydney Morning Herald
Family murder trial told of death threat – The Sydney Morning Herald
Gonzales admits lying to friends but says he did not kill – The Sydney Morning Herald
Gonzales appeals on ‘poisoned’ evidence – The Sydney Morning Herald
Gonzales guilty of killing family – The Age
Gonzales murder house drops $80,000 – The Sydney Morning Herald
Gonzales on poison threat charge – The Sydney Morning Herald
Gonzales tells court of his suffering – The Sydney Morning Herald
Gonzales to die in jail – The Age
Gonzales to stand trial for murder – The Sydney Morning Herald
Guilty: the monster child Sef – The Sydney Morning Herald
It wasn’t me, insists Gonzales – The Sydney Morning Herald
Lies, lies, lies: Sef Gonzales admits telling 20 of them – The Sydney Morning Herald
Murdered Gonzales parents controlled their children’s lives, court told – The Sydney Morning Herald
Sef admits to regrets, but no guilt – The Sydney Morning Herald
Son may have written message left at murder scene, says expert – The Sydney Morning Herald
Student killed family to stop ‘life unravelling’ – The Sydney Morning Herald.
WEBSITES:
Philippines’ Poverty Rate Declines; More Well-Paying Jobs and Opportunities Needed
OTHER RESOURCES:
‘Daisy’s Dedication page to Seffie’
THIS EPISODE’S SPONSORS
Audible – Listen to a new book about the East Area Rapist – ‘Evil Has a Name’, available only on Audible. Follow the link or text ‘EVILCASEFILE’ to 500500
MVMT Watches – Get 15% off your order with FREE shipping and FREE returns
Quip – Get your first refill pack FREE with a QUIP electric toothbrush
ShipStation – Try ShipStation FREE for 30 days plus get an additional month FREE when you use promo code ‘casefile’
In mid-2004, Australian real estate group LJ Hooker posted a for sale sign on the front lawn of a vacant address in North Ryde, a cosmopolitan suburb in north-western Sydney.
The stately Collins Street property caught the eye of the Lin family who were looking to settle in the area.
The vacant property had been on the market for three years, the lack of interest leading the estate’s trustee to periodically lower the asking price in the hopes the declining offer would tempt a buyer. When the Lin family expressed interest in the Collins Street house in 2004, they offered $800,000 for the property, a significant bargain as many homes just like it in the area sold for over a million. Their real estate purchase contract was quickly drafted and signed, with the new homeowners handing over an $80,000 deposit, excited for their promising future in North Ryde.
A SOLD sticker was firmly planted on the sale sign out the front of the Collins Street property, prompting local news outlets to report on the controversial purchase. Upon reading a local newspaper, the Lin family were horrified to learn of the events that had once taken place in their new home…
______
Our episodes deal with serious and often distressing incidents. If you feel at anytime you need support, please contact your local crisis centre. Some suggestions for confidential support for men, women and children:
AUSTRALIA:
Lifeline Crisis Support: 13 11 14
Beyond Blue: Depression and anxiety support: 1300 22 46 36
Rape & Domestic Violence Services: 1800 737 732
Men's Line: 1300 78 99 78
Headspace: Youth Mental Health Foundation: see headspace.org.au for your local centre
USA:
Distress & Lifeline: 1800 273 8255
Crisis Text Line: text HOME to 741 741
Domestic Violence Helpline: 1800 799 7233
Victim Connect: support for victims of crime: 855 484 2846
UK:
Mind: mental health support: 0300 123 3393
SANE: mental health support: 0300 304 7000
Samaritans support network: 116 123
National Stalking Helpline: 0808 802 0300
CANADA:
For a list of Canadian crisis centres: https://thelifelinecanada.ca/help/call
NEW ZEALAND:
Lifeline: 0800 543354
Depression Helpline: 0800 111 757 (Text 4202)
CREDITS
NARRATION:
Episode narrated by the Anonymous Host
EPISODE:
Episode researched and written by Gemma Harris
Additional writing and editing by Milly Raso and Elsha McGill
MUSIC:
‘Flatline intro’ and ‘Come play with me’ intro and outro www.dl-sounds.com
All other music and audio clean up performed by Mike Migas and Andrew Joslyn
OTHER:
Logo design by Paulina Szymanska
RESOURCES
COURT DOCUMENTS:
BOOKS:
Unmasked: The Gonzales Family Killer – Lawrence, K.
ARTICLES:
Safe as houses: 6 Collins St, North Ryde – Finder
Mystery buyer pays $720,000 for Gonzales murder house – The Sydney Morning Herald
Agents in court over horror house – The Sydney Morning Herald
Estate agents fined over triple murder house – The Age
Gonzales house case prompts law review – The Sydney Morning Herald
We live in the Sef Gonzales murder house – Woman’s Day
Australian & New Zealand Forensic Science Society – NSW Branch Newsletter, Issue 30
Three corners of my world are gone: Sef farewells his dead family – The Sydney Morning Herald
Family killer Gonzales cries unfair treatment – Daily Telegraph
Family too scared to live in house of horror – The Sydney Morning Herald
Portrait of a once happy family: the triple murder haunting detectives – The Sydney Morning Herald
Gonzales house fails to sell – The Sydney Morning Herald
Gonzales pawned jewellery, court told – The Sydney Morning Herald
Sins of the son – The Sydney Morning Herald
Sef Gonzales loses appeal – The Sydney Morning Herald
Gonzales granted appeal – The Sydney Morning Herald
My child, my killer – The Sydney Morning Herald
A life left incomplete: only son sings a tearful farewell to his family – The Sydney Morning Herald
Bloody race hate scrawl found in death house – The Sydney Morning Herald
Police saw Gonzales as a suspect – Daily Telegraph
Sef Gonzales found guilty of family murder – ABC.net.au
Killer Sef Gonzales loses bid for new trial over life sentence for murder of mum, dad and sister – Daily Telegraph
Gonzales loses appeal over triple murder – The Sydney Morning Herald
Houses of horror – can a murder house absorb evil? – News.com.au
Man guilty of killing parents, sister – The Age
Down to his last $400, Gonzales urgently needs money for triple murder defence – The Sydney Morning Herald
Estate agents fined over triple murder house – The Age
Evidence tests key Gonzales motive – The Sydney Morning Herald
Family killer will die in jail – The Sydney Morning Herald
Family murder trial told of death threat – The Sydney Morning Herald
Gonzales admits lying to friends but says he did not kill – The Sydney Morning Herald
Gonzales appeals on ‘poisoned’ evidence – The Sydney Morning Herald
Gonzales guilty of killing family – The Age
Gonzales murder house drops $80,000 – The Sydney Morning Herald
Gonzales on poison threat charge – The Sydney Morning Herald
Gonzales tells court of his suffering – The Sydney Morning Herald
Gonzales to die in jail – The Age
Gonzales to stand trial for murder – The Sydney Morning Herald
Guilty: the monster child Sef – The Sydney Morning Herald
It wasn’t me, insists Gonzales – The Sydney Morning Herald
Lies, lies, lies: Sef Gonzales admits telling 20 of them – The Sydney Morning Herald
Murdered Gonzales parents controlled their children’s lives, court told – The Sydney Morning Herald
Sef admits to regrets, but no guilt – The Sydney Morning Herald
Son may have written message left at murder scene, says expert – The Sydney Morning Herald
Student killed family to stop ‘life unravelling’ – The Sydney Morning Herald.
WEBSITES:
Philippines’ Poverty Rate Declines; More Well-Paying Jobs and Opportunities Needed
OTHER RESOURCES:
‘Daisy’s Dedication page to Seffie’
THIS EPISODE’S SPONSORS
Audible – Listen to a new book about the East Area Rapist – ‘Evil Has a Name’, available only on Audible. Follow the link or text ‘EVILCASEFILE’ to 500500
MVMT Watches – Get 15% off your order with FREE shipping and FREE returns
Quip – Get your first refill pack FREE with a QUIP electric toothbrush
ShipStation – Try ShipStation FREE for 30 days plus get an additional month FREE when you use promo code ‘casefile’
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