This December will mark two years since the death of 40-year-old Julie Minogue.
“She has been here in spirit I can tell you that,” Minogue’s father Gerald Minogue said.
Police say Minogue was killed in her Milford home in December 2022, while her 3-year-old and 17-year-old children were inside. Authorities believe her ex-boyfriend, Ewen Dewitt, used an ax as the weapon.
On Friday morning, the state offered Dewitt a plea deal.
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“That offer is 45 years to serve on the charges of murder and risk of injury,” a state prosecutor said in court.
Back in 2022, Minogue had a restraining order against Dewitt and feared for her life. Today, Minogue’s father was in the courtroom. He said the family would have liked to see a longer sentence.
“You can’t put a number of any size, let alone years, to a life of a loved one. It is hard to just sit there and say that's acceptable,” Gerald Minogue said. “Do I know where the state is coming from? I do. While I can’t say that I am 100% happy with that number, I will have to live with it at this point.”
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Minogue left behind three sons. Her father says she has been missed during big milestones in the boys' lives.
“Her oldest son just got engaged,” Minogue said. “The baby is now five years old, and he is doing extremely well in his new life. But you know, they do miss their mother, ok and they do miss their mother.”
Now, the family waits anxiously as the judicial process plays out.
“We want to get the justice that my daughter deserves and that her children can realize that someone is going to be held accountable for what happened,” Minogue said.
Dewitt will review the plea offer with his attorney and then decide if he accepts or rejects it. He will be back in court Oct. 25.
