A woman and her mum who she reportedly killed in a suspected murder-suicide on Monday morning have been identified as anti-vaxxers who believed in ‘God not government’.
Sally Davis, 41, is said to have stabbed her mother Trish Lambourne to death before setting their home in the Edwardstown suburb of Adelaide alight.
When the emergency services arrived, flames were contained to a single room in the house and once firefighters had extinguished the blaze, police officers found the bodies of the two women inside.
Sally Davis (left) is thought to have stabbed her mother Trish Lambourne (right) to death before setting their home in the Edwardstown suburb of Adelaide alight
The first responders, who arrived to the house at around 5am, reportedly discovered a knife with which Ms Davis is thought to have stabbed her mother with.
A detective was seen carrying disposable plastic bags containing contents believed to be from inside the property at around 11am, the Advertiser reported.
The women’s bodies were removed from the house just before midday.
A man who did gardening work for the pair said both of the women seemed to struggle with disabilities.
Chris, who had been doing the gardening at the Emerald Street property for about a year, was in the area when the fire broke out.
Police and emergency services were called to a house fire in Emerald Street, Edwardstown – 6km southwest of Adelaide CBD at around 5am on Monday
‘I saw a commotion happening up that way so I went over and was shocked to see it was their house,’ he told Daily Mail Australia. ‘It is very sad.’
He went to their house every three weeks, usually at around 8am, to mow the lawn.
Chris said while they were pleasant, they were not big talkers, and he was never invited into the house.
Last Christmas they gave him a bag of goods he thought had come from their cupboard.
He said he thought Ms Davis had an ‘issue with the sun’ and both she and her mum ‘had bad backs’.
When he saw emergency services vehicles near the home, he tried to phone Ms Davis, but got no answer.
When he went to the house to find out what was happening he discovered the awful news.
South Australia police confirmed the bodies of two women were located inside the house
The mother and daughter had kept to themselves since moving in to the community housing property, neighbours said.
In a picture posted to Twitter in October 2021 both women wore matching t-shirts with the words ‘it is against my religion to wear a mask or get a jab against my will’ written on them.
‘I believe in God not government’ was written on the back of Ms Davis’ shirt.
On social media, Sally Davis described herself as being ‘my mother’s full time carer for the last 22 years’.
The mum and daughter lived in the home which was owned by a community housing provider called Your Place Housing.
Sally Davis (pictured) lived with her mother Trish Lambourne in community housing
Southern District CIB Detective Chief Inspector Kieran Baggoley said the police had never previously been called to the house and are not looking for anyone else.
He said a neighbour had called triple zero after noticing a fire inside the house.
A Metropolitan Fire Service crew of 20 extinguished the blaze in just under 10 minutes.
However, firefighters and paramedics returned to the house just before 4pm after the blaze was believed to have reignited.
Tradesman had already begun work on the home when the emergency services were called back.
The cause and circumstances of the fire and the death of both occupants remain under police investigation
Major Crime detectives were at the scene on Monday, along with forensic and patrol officers.
Det Chief Insp Baggoley said said smoke had travelled through the ‘majority of the house’ and damage was estimated to be at around $100,000.
He said the incident was a ‘tragedy’ and there was no ‘sugar coating’ it.
Your Place Housing owns more than 500 properties across Adelaide and helps to house people struggling with disability or social disadvantage.
The organisation’s chief executive told The Advertiser some tenants were supported through disability service providers.
