The bungalow in Glenroy where Antonio Loguancio bunkered down erupts in flames. Picture: Mark Dadswell Source: Herald Sun
A dispute over who has the right to Antonio Loguancio's remains could be headed for the Supreme Court. Source: Supplied
EXCLUSIVE: THE mother and girlfriend of Antonio "Mad Dog" Loguancio are embroiled in a Supreme Court dispute over who has the right to his remains.
Loguancio's body is in cold storage as his mother and his lover - whose bashing by the multiple rapist set in train the events that ended in his death - battle over who has the stronger claim to his body.
Deputy State Coroner Iain West had accepted that Julie Kocosky, 40, as Loguancio's de facto partner of six months, was his closest next of kin.
But Loguancio's mother, Lesley Ivy Gilmour, has launched a Supreme Court challenge, arguing the pair were not de factos and not living together when he died.
Police believe Loguancio took his own life when the Glenroy bungalow in which he was bunkered down went up in flames on March 3.
In a marathon siege, he had been holding police at bay for 40 hours after going on the run after bashing his girlfriend.
Ms Gilmour also accuses Ms Kocosky of refusing to tell her family about funeral plans.
Despite her son's brutal criminal record - which saw him first jailed at 18 - Ms Gilmour says that giving him a Catholic funeral is important, to allow him to rest in peace.
"My son was extremely important to our family and I love my son very much," she said.
"It would be very traumatic for me if I were unable to attend my son's funeral."
Fight for Mad Dog's body
THE drama that constantly surrounded the villainous life of the criminal they called Mad Dog has not ended with his death.
Antonio "Mad Dog" Loguancio lived his life as a depraved rapist, he lost it at the end of a lengthy siege, and now as he lies inanimate a court fight has broken out over his remains.
The tug of war over Loguancio - which are in refrigerated storage - began when his mother and his girlfriend both laid claim to his body.
Lesley Ivy Gilmour launched a Supreme Court appeal for her rapist son's body after Deputy State Coroner Iain West accepted the claim of Julie Kocosky - the woman Loguancio, 40, had been accused of bashing, days before holding police at bay for more than 40 hours.
Mr West accepted Ms Kocosky had been in a relationship with Loguancio for six months and was his de facto partner - a relationship he said Ms Gilmour had acknowledged.
He said he was satisfied Ms Kocosky was the senior next of kin and had the best claim on the body.
But Ms Gilmour, of Rockbank, said her son had no will, and was not Ms Kocosky's de facto nor living with her when he died.
Police at the scene in Glenroy where Antonio Loguancio holed himself up. Picture: Ian Currie Source: Herald Sun
In an affidavit lodged with the Supreme Court last week, Ms Gilmour accuses Ms Kocosky of refusing to tell her family about funeral plans.
Despite her son's brutal criminal record - which saw him first sent to jail at 18 - Ms Gilmour says burying him with a Catholic funeral is important to her family.
"My son was extremely important to our family and I love my son very much," she says.
"I am extremely worried that Julie Kocoski (sic) will not tell my family or I about where my son's funeral will take place.
"It would be very traumatic for me if I were unable to attend my son's funeral."
Loguancio went on the run after bashing his partner at their West Heidelberg home on February 23.
He was ultimately cornered by police in a bungalow in Justin Ave, Glenroy.
During a 43-hour stand-off Loguancio, who was armed with two high-powered guns, appeared at times to be highly agitated. He told negotiators he feared he would be shot if he came outside. Police repeatedly assured him he was safe.
But about 2pm on Sunday, March 3, Loguancio fired dozens of shots before the bungalow erupted in flames.
He is believed to have taken his own life around the same time tear gas was fired at the bungalow in a bid to end the siege.
Ms Gilmour says in her affidavit that she has never met Ms Kocosky and only learned of her existence from homicide squad detectives after her son's death.
"To the best of my knowledge, Julie Kocoski was not in a de facto relationship with my son and they were not living together at the time he passed away," she said.
Ms Gilmour said she did not know much about her son's life since he was released from his third jail term a year ago, saying "it became difficult to spend time with him because of the friends that he had made whilst inside".
Ms Gilmour said she had repeatedly tried, and failed, to communicate with Ms Kocosky in a bid to organise for all parties to be able to pay their respects to her son.
In her own email to the coroner on March 10, Ms Gilmour said: "We would like to arrange a meeting with the other interested party to discuss their wishes so that we can all come to an amicable solution for everyone concerned."
Ms Gilmour said Det Sgt Robert Nazaretian, who is leading the investigation into her son's death, had told her Ms Kocosky did not wish to speak to them about funeral arrangements.
Ms Gilmour's battle was almost lost before it began: she missed a 48-hour deadline to file her affidavit in support of her appeal.
Ms Gilmour said she had no money for legal advice, "because the small amount of savings that I have need to be used to organise a funeral for my son", and had unsuccessfully sought Legal Aid.
Drama surrounded the life of Antonio ''Mad Dog'' Loguancio. Source: Herald Sun
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét