A Brisbane anaesthetist and her eight-year-old daughter were found dead in a multimillion-dollar Airbnb property in Brisbane’s west, in what police are treating as a murder-suicide.
Police discovered the body of Norman Park woman Dr Tiffany Wilkes, 54, and her daughter, Clementine, at the sprawling Tinarra Crescent home in Kenmore Hills about lunchtime on Monday after being sent for a welfare check.
According to Wilkes’ LinkedIn profile, she had worked for Queensland Health for more than 13 years, and had also been a senior clinical fellow in anaesthesia at a hospital in the UK.
The anaesthetist worked at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, with a Metro South Health spokeswoman saying the health service extended “our deepest sympathies to those affected by this tragic incident”.
“As this matter is subject to an ongoing police investigation, it would be inappropriate to comment further,” the spokeswoman said.
Wilkes also worked at the Wesley Hospital, according to the private hospital’s website in a since-removed page, where she specialised in hepatobiliary and liver transplant anaesthesia as well as neuroanaesthesia.
CCTV footage captured on Tinarra Crescent the day before the bodies were found shows the anaesthetist placing a rubbish bin on the footpath.
According to online profiles, Wilkes completed a bachelor of medicine and a bachelor of surgery at the University of Queensland in 2000. She also held degrees in law and arts.
Forensic teams remained at the property into Tuesday afternoon, with detectives continuing to doorknock residents in the area as part of the investigation into the suspected murder-suicide.
About midday, the owner of the property arrived at the scene and spoke briefly with police but declined to comment to reporters.
A couple living across the road, who did not want to be named, said they knew the owners, who had rented out the house on Airbnb.
They said they did not hear anything from the house on Monday.
“It’s just unbelievable … it’s a very quiet neighbourhood,” the neighbour said.
The home was listed on Airbnb for about $1000 a night, with a five-night minimum stay. The listing has since been removed.
Another neighbour, Andrew Offen, said he was not aware the property had been rented out as an Airbnb, but the owners were often away.
He said despite how isolated the properties were, everyone knew each other.
“Everybody in this leg of the street has lived here 10 years plus – I can’t think of anyone other than [the owners of the property] who hasn’t.”
Premier David Crisafulli described the scene as distressing.
“I guess the only word that comes to mind is distressing – distressing for everyone, including the first responders who had to see,” he said.
The Airbnb listing described the three-bedroom property as a relaxing, private, and luxury home, perched on 2.5 acres backing on to Mount Coot-tha Forest.
It sits behind automated security gates, with tall hedges along the property’s perimeter.
According to the listing, the home’s idyllic setting includes an infinity pool facing out to the trees, and the possibility of seeing kangaroos in the garden some evenings.
The home is about 10 minutes’ drive from Indooroopilly Shopping Centre, and last sold for $2.5 million in 2022.
A Queensland Police spokesman said on Monday there was no ongoing threat to the community. Detectives were continuing their investigations.
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