Two men jailed over Irma Palasics’ death during robbery
The Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory sentenced Joseph Veconi and Steve Fabrici to prison for the manslaughter of 72-year-old Irma Palasics during the 1999 robbery of her Canberra home. Fabrici was sentenced to 16 years and six months in prison, while Veconi received 20 years.
Sentence in a long-standing case
As ABC News Australia reports, both convicted men are now over 70 years old. Earlier this year, they were found guilty of manslaughter in the case of Palasics’ death, which had remained unsolved for a long time.
Justice David Mossop said Veconi will almost certainly die in prison, as he has been diagnosed with terminal liver cancer. The court linked Veconi’s longer sentence to his involvement in an earlier burglary of the Palasics couple’s home.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
Attack at the couple’s home
Irma Palasics and her husband Gregor were beaten, tied up and gagged in their home as they were preparing to spend the evening at home. The attackers searched the residence, took $30,000 from a hiding place in the kitchen and fled. The woman died, while her husband was injured.
Veconi and Fabrici were linked to the attack through DNA found on a milk bottle and a water container in the couple’s refrigerator. They were detained following an undercover police operation using the controversial “Mr Big” technique.
Earlier this week, Irma Palasics’ grandson said the family has endured a “life sentence of grief” since her death.
