Margaret River murders: tributes flow from shocked community
Margaret River community members have described their shock and grief at the loss of a well known and loved family after a mass murder at a rural property in Osmington, a 20-minute drive from town.
Margaret River police received a 000 call from "a male" at the property about 5.15am. The local officer-in-charge and his senior constable went to the property and found seven bodies with gunshot wounds.
One man was found outside. One woman was found inside the main house and another woman and four children were found in the second home on the property, a converted shed.
While formal identification is not yet complete police believe they were Peter John Miles, 61, his wife Cynda Miles, 58, their daughter Katrina, 35, and her four children, Taye, 13, Rylan, 12, Arie, 10 and Kadyn, eight.
Police confirmed six of the deaths were murders and that they were not looking for anyone. They said all three firearms found at the scene were licensed to Mr Miles but could not confirm whether all had been used.
More details would be released as the forensic examinations were completed, Police Commissioner Chris Dawson said on Saturday morning.
He said his heart went out to the community.
“Police have spoken to childrens’ father, he is obviously grieving and in a place where he is being provided support," he said.
“You don’t have to be at a scene to feel the horror and the sadness."
Cynda Miles was a stalwart in the sustainability community, volunteering with the local Transition Network and leading recycling initiatives including Cynda's Soft Salvage.
Peter Miles was a farmer and teacher, formerly manager of the Margaret River High School farm, and ran a small handyman business.
They bought the 30-acre hobby farm in late 2014. WAtoday understands the children lived and were schooled at the sprawling homestead, among gardens full of fruit trees and flowering natives.
Members of the community said the couple were civic-minded and respected, and described theirs as a "happy, wonderful" family.
"It's sending shockwaves through the whole community – we’re all linked in one way or another, every family," Shire President Pamela Townshend said.
"[Cynda] was a lovely, open-hearted, generous woman; embedded and active in the community, committed to the sustainability movement and very well known.
"She headed up the Boomerang Bag initiative, holding busy bees to teach people to make lovely fabric bags to be positioned outside supermarkets to encourage people to bring them back.
"My mum went to a community workshop with her yesterday.
"She's also very involved in the agricultural show – she’s coordinated displays around sustainability and recycling initiatives in Margaret River."
Mrs Miles had received a certificate of appreciation at the Shire of Augusta-Margaret River's Volunteer Day in December.
The local shire council has organised counsellors, psychologists to speak to affected community members from 1pm-3pm at the local community resource centre on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Other volunteers will be there all day mourners are asked to take flowers and other tributes directly there, instead of the Osmington property.
"This is a strong, connected community and I know we’ll all support each other and get through this together," Cr Townshend said.
Vasse MP Libby Mettam said her thoughts and prayers went out to the family and everyone affected by this tragedy, including those first on the scene.
"The government have my wholehearted support in whatever is required to respond to this tragic situation," she said.
"The community is hurting deeply over this tragedy."