Daughter charged with elderly Wellington woman’s murder named

Julia DeLuney, 53, has been named as the person accused of killing her 79-year-old mother, Helen Gregory, in Wellington earlier this year.

DeLuney had initially received interim name suppression, but Justice Karen Grau ruled against permanent suppression last month.

Gregory was found dead in her Khandallah home in January following what police described as a “violent act.”

The Crown alleges that the murder was financially motivated, claiming DeLuney had deceived her mother out of $15,000 before committing the fatal attack.

DeLuney has pleaded not guilty to murder and to charges of obtaining money by deception.

Court documents reveal that Julia DeLuney, a teacher and cryptocurrency trader, faced “significant mental health struggles”, exacerbated by menopausal symptoms.

She is currently on electronically monitored bail, living with her husband, Antonio DeLuney, who has not been charged but will be a witness for the Crown at the trial set for next year.

Antonio also sought name suppression, fearing public scrutiny, but this was denied. Justice Grau concluded that there was no evidence linking him to the crime and that his mental health concerns did not meet the threshold for name suppression.