Estranged husband accused of dousing his wife in petrol and burning her alive jumped in a pool to save himself when the flames spread to his body, police allege
- Kelly Wilkinson’s body was found in the rear of a Gold Coast house on April 20
- Her husband Brian Johnston, 34, located nearby, with burns to hands and airway
- Johnston charged with her murder after waking from an induced 10-day coma
- Johnston allegedly soothed the burns he suffered in a nearby swimming pool
An ex-US marine accused of burning his estranged wife alive allegedly jumped into a pool after he too caught fire to dampen the flames.
Police will allege Brian Earl Johnston, 34, doused Kelly Wilkinson, 27, in petrol and set her alight on April 20 at her home in Arundel on the Gold Coast before the flames spread to his body.
He is accused of then jumping into a nearby swimming pool to save himself, the Gold Coast Bulletin reported.
Police allegedly found a trail of blood leading from the Spikes Court home to a property where Johnston was found in nearby Langer Place.
The body of Gold Coast mother of three Kelly Wilkinson was discovered in a home on the Gold Coast on April 20
Brian Johnston, 34, has been charged with the murder of Ms Wilkinson on April 20. Above, the pair on their wedding day
Ms Wilkinson, 27 who is believed to have already complained twice to police about her ex, died at the scene outside her home.
The couple’s three children, all aged under nine, were at the home but unharmed.
They have been taken in with Ms Wilkinson’s sister Danielle Carroll – who has five children of her own.
Neighbours reported seeing flames shoot up over the fence on the day of the alleged attack and raced into the yard.
Johnston allegedly fled the scene but was tracked down to the nearby property.
He was allegedly carrying a knife sheath and semi-conscious.
More than 1000 locals turned out to pay tribute to Ms Wilkinson, many wearing green, her favourite colour
Police said they discovered three knives and duct tape in the same backyard, but the post-mortem found the items did not cause her death.
They said one of the knives was found under Ms Wilkinson’s head, another in the pool and a third in the grass.
Police also located a melted plastic fuel container, a duffel bag with rope inside, a crow bar and duct tape.
Johnston was charged at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital after waking from an induced coma and charged with murder, breaching bail and a domestic violence order.
His lawyer Chris Hannay confirmed police had formally charged his client with the murder of Wilkinson.
The couple holding one of their children during a holiday in the US. Johnston (right) has woken up from a coma and is under police guard at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital
Police charged Ms Wilkinson’s estranged husband Brian Johnston (pictured) with her murder on Friday
Kelly Wilkinson messaged her ex-husband Brian Johnston’s former fiancee, who lives in the United States, on March 29 local time in the United States to ask: ‘Was he ever abusive in any form?’ Queensland Police confirmed she sought a domestic violence order on that same date
The victim’s devastated family have claimed that Johnston was controlling and dictated what the 27-year-old wore, how she styled her hair and even banned her from getting a driver’s licence or a job.
She had even gone to the lengths of contacting Johnston’s ex-girlfriend in the United States to ask if he had been abusive towards her.
‘I’m sorry to message you with such a sensitive subject,’ Ms Wilkinson said in messages obtained by Daily Mail Australia.
‘When you were with Brian was he ever abusive in any form?
‘We are in Australia…I’m wondering if there’s a pattern with him he needs help.’
The pair married when she was just 18, before separating a couple of months ago.
On Monday evening, about 1,000 people, many wearing Ms Wilkinson’s favourite colour green, gathered at the Gold Coast Titans training ground to pay a silent tribute to Ms Wilkinson.
Advertisement
