The murders of Jennifer Petelcyzc and her teenage daughter Gretl in their Perth home revealed a fatal flaw in Western Australia's gun licence renewal system, a coronial inquest has heard.
The mother and daughter were shot dead by Mark Bombara, 62, who went to their Floreat home in May 2024 — armed with two Glock pistols — looking for his estranged wife, Rowena.
Bombara owned 13 licensed guns, most on recreational licences, and the two Glocks on a collector's licence.
But the inquest heard he should not have been able to renew the handgun licences after a change to the law in 2005.
WA Police Superintendent Mark Gilbert said Bombara licensed the weapons in 2004, on a collector's licence for sentimental reasons, and in his application the gunman described himself as a "Glock enthusiast".
"Nothing comes close to the satisfaction I have in the handling, cleaning, stripping down, and where possible firing my Glock handgun," the letter read.
But a legal change 12 months later removed 'sentimental value' as a valid reason for holding a licence, meaning Bombara should not have been able to renew his licence.
Yet he did so five times, including in January 2024, just months before the deaths.
Superintendent Gilbert told the inquest the online licence renewal process was automatic and previously without "human intervention", as…
