Crime

Family Demands Stricter Monitoring After Mentally Ill Killer Walks Free

The grieving son of Michael Furlong, a Western Sydney father brutally murdered in 2015, is demanding urgent reforms to how mentally ill killers are monitored after release. Luke Furlong wants mandatory electronic ankle bracelets and minimum supervision periods for offenders found not guilty by reason of mental illness – measures supported by the investigating officers who captured his father’s killer. The call comes eight years after a paranoid schizophrenic ambushed and slit Mr Furlong’s throat in a delusional attack outside a Guildford electronics store.

The horrific crime unfolded when the attacker – who believed the Australian Federal Police (AFP) had bugged him – lured Mr Furlong into conversation about a fake car accident before producing a Bowie knife. After the killing, the assailant was found sleeping in a stolen vehicle with the murder weapon and victim’s wallet, later being committed to a mental health facility rather than prison. “These people shouldn’t just disappear back into society without safeguards,” Luke told reporters, noting his family lives in constant fear of encountering the killer again.

Detectives involved in the case have thrown their support behind Luke’s campaign, arguing current mental health laws fail victims’ families. “When someone takes a life, there must be lasting accountability regardless of their mental state,” said one officer involved in the investigation. They propose adopting minimum supervision terms mirroring criminal sentences, coupled with GPS monitoring technology used for parolees. The reforms would address glaring gaps that allow violent offenders to re-enter communities with minimal oversight.

As NSW grapples with balancing mental health treatment and public safety, the Furlong case highlights systemic failures in protecting victims’ rights. With mentally ill offenders increasingly involved in high-profile violent crimes, pressure mounts on lawmakers to strengthen monitoring protocols. For Luke, the fight honors his father’s memory while preventing other families from enduring similar trauma. “Dad didn’t get a second chance,” he said. “The least we can do is make sure his killer doesn’t get to hurt anyone else.

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