How an anonymous donor has offered to build a home for the three children of a mother who was allegedly burned to death in her backyard by her estranged ex-husband
- 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
- Public appeal underway to support Ms Wilkinson’s three young children, family
An anonymous Good Samaritan has donated a block of land so a home can be built for the three young children of a mother who was allegedly burned to death by her estranged ex-husband.
Police allege former US Marine Brian Earl Johnston, 34, doused his ex-wife Kelly Wilkinson, 27, in petrol and set her alight on April 20 at her home in Arundel on the Gold Coast.
Johnston has since been charged with Ms Wilkinson’s murder and breaching a domestic violence order.
A series of community appeals were launched in the aftermath of the alleged attack to help Ms Wilkinson’s grieving family.
The campaigns were focused on her children aged between two and eight – who were home at the time of the alleged murder but unharmed.
A Good Samaritan has donated a block of land so a home can be built for the three young children of Kelly Wilkinson – who was allegedly burned to death by her ex-husband Brian Johnston (Ms Wilkinson and Johnston pictured together)
Ms Wilkinson’s sister Danielle Carroll and her husband Rhys, who have five kids of their own, have stepped in to look after the 27-year-old’s three children.
An anonymous donor has since come forward with a block of land on which a home can be built for the children, The Gold Coast Bulletin reported.
Gold Coast entrepreneur Tamika Smith – whose stepbrother and Ms Carroll are married – had started an appeal for land, labour and building supplies.
The location of the land has not been disclosed to respect the family’s privacy.
Brian Johnston, 34, has been charged with the murder of Ms Wilkinson on April 20. Above, the pair dance on their wedding day
Meanwhile, a GoFundMe appeal set up by another of Kelly’s sisters, Natalie Wilkinson, to help the children is nearing $300,000 in donations after 10 days.
Gold Coast entrepreneur Tamika Smith played a leading role in helping raise support for the family of Ms Wilkinson
More than 4,800 people have so far donated to the fundraiser, which has a target of $1million.
Ms Smith said the family was ‘overjoyed’ at the news of the land donation.
‘This is more than a house, it’s about a lot of good men coming forth and saying we’re going to stand up and protect those kids.
‘They’ve all phoned me up and said, ‘What have we got to do to help those kids?’.’
Construction giant Metricon and more than 30 other suppliers are understood to have joined the campaign led by Ms Smith.
The donation comes as it emerged that Queensland Police will allege Johnston jumped into a pool after the attack when he too caught fire.
Neighbours reported seeing flames shoot up over the fence on the day of the alleged attack and raced into the yard.
Police charged Ms Wilkinson’s estranged husband Brian Johnston (pictured) with her murder on Friday
Johnston and Ms Wilkinson pictured on their wedding day. Queensland Police will allege Johnston, an ex-US marine, jumped into a pool after he too caught fire to dampen the flames
Johnston allegedly fled the scene but was tracked down to the nearby property.
He was allegedly carrying a knife sheath and semi-conscious.
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.
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