‘Devastated': Horrific details, photos emerge in athlete's murder case
The local NSW Central Coast community has been rocked by the tragic case since the 19-year-old's body was found partially submerged in the Erina Creek near The Entrance Rd, Erina, on The Central Coast at about 3.45pm on Monday, March 24.
The investigation into her death took a dramatic turn over Easter with NSW police arresting 53-year-old Adrian Noel Torrens in the inner-city Sydney suburb of Surry Hills at about 12.20pm on Monday. He has been charged with her murder and 11 other unrelated domestic violence matters.
Griffin had been reported missing only a few hours before her body was found with her friends last seeing the 19-year-old at about 2am on a night out at the Gosford Hotel.
Initial inquiries led police to believe the death wasn't suspicious.
Police will now allege Torrens had a physical altercation with the teenager.
Extraordinary details of the allegations police are set to make emerged on Tuesday with The Daily Telegraph first reporting bombshell details about the 48-hour period that broke the investigation wide open, including:
— Police believe Griffin did not know Torrens before her death.
— Police will allege Griffin tried to fight Torrens off after he followed her as she was walking home from a night out with friends.
— Police will allege Griffin scratched Torrens during the alleged incident, collecting some of his DNA under her fingernails.
— Police will allege Torrens struck the left side of Griffin's face and knocked her unconscious, causing her to drown, or held her underwater.
— A witness living near Erina Creek told investigators she heard a high-pitched scream around 3am the night of Griffin's death. The witness is reported to have dismissed the noise under the assumption it was a fox.
— Police will allege Torrens' phone 'pinged' at 2.43am that morning near where Griffin's body was discovered.
Police have released footage of Torrens' arrest.
Torrens is from the glamorous harbour-side Sydney suburb of Milson's Point.
Court documents revealed he had been charged with several counts of contravening an AVO over the past month that is unrelated to Griffin's death.
He was refused bail and his matter was briefly heard in the Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday.
He will remain in custody until his next court date on May 6.
Police on Thursday, April 17, first released a photo of a man they believed may have had information to assist with their inquiries. The man was seen in the area at the time of Griffin's death. Police said the man is not thought to have had any involvement in Griffin's death, but may have been able to provide new information.
Police now allege they received 'significant information' the day after the photo was released. According to Brisbane Water police commander superintendent Darryl Jobson — who spoke with reporters on Tuesday — the information 'changed the nature of the investigation from a coronial matter to a homicide'.
Jobson said he could not confirm where the new information had come from other than to say it was provided by 'other sources' following the public appeal.
Jobson told reporters: 'This is a matter that has not sat well with us from the very start.
'For a 19-year old woman to meet her death in a creek was very unsettling for us, because we want the answers.
'These are the types of cases where police want answers, because families want answers.
'There is a ripple effect that goes through [the] community, [the] community are feeling it, and I must say first responders also feel it.'
He said his heart 'goes out' to Griffin's family.
He went on to say the family is 'understandably devastated'.
Her death rocked the local community, who remembered her as a 'beautiful girl' who was 'treasured by a lot of people'.
'She touched the hearts of so many people and always had a smile,' a friend penned on social media.
'Her laugh was contagious and her goofy self always made us laugh.
'I'm sure many of you have so many beautiful memories, photos and videos of her, I would love to eventually see them all.
'Audrey you are truly loved by so many people.'
The teenager was a gifted triathlete, taking part in the ANZCO Foods half Ironman competition in New Zealand a few weeks before her death, finishing 23rd in her age group classification.
She was a member of the Terrigal Sharks Rugby League Club and Terrigal Surf Life Saving Club, and was a former vice-captain of Central Coast Sports College.
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