Weeks before she was murdered, Molly Ticehurst confronted her former partner Daniel Billings in text messages, asking him, Why did you want to kill me? Why do you do all the bad stuff to me?
according to court documents cited by News. Billings replied, Maybe my thought process was if I couldn’t have you then I didn’t want anyone to.
Chilling Texts Revealed at Sentencing Hearing
The text messages emerged during Billings’ sentencing hearing in the NSW Supreme Court in Orange, where chilling video recordings made by Billings before and after the attack were played to the court. Ms Ticehurst, a 28-year-old childcare worker, had gone to police in April 2024 to make sexual assault and domestic violence allegations against Billings, telling officers he threatened to climb through her bedroom window and cut her head off, stating he would get to her quicker than police could.
The Fatal Attack and Preceding Bail Decision
Despite police opposition, a local court registrar granted Billings conditional freedom on April 6 after he spent one night in custody. Just a fortnight later, on April 21, 2024, Billings followed through on his threats, breaking into Ms Ticehurst’s home in Forbes in the NSW Central West.
According to court facts, it took Billings exactly 59 seconds to break in, stab her 15 times with a hunting knife, and return to his car. In the lead-up to the crime, Billings filmed himself driving along dark country roads from Parkes to Forbes while excitedly singing along to a Johnny Cash song, quoting lyrics about the terror of when the man comes around.
Other footage played in court showed Billings crying, smoking, swearing, and ranting at his house on the day of the murder. After the stabbing, he recorded videos stating, I’ve just murdered my ex-girlfriend
and I can’t believe I just did that,
while continuing to deny the rape allegations Ms Ticehurst had raised against him.
Guilty Plea, Court Proceedings, and Impact
Billings ultimately pleaded guilty to the murder of Ms Ticehurst, and a raft of other charges including sexual assault were withdrawn after his guilty plea in November 2025, as reported by portnews.com.au. During the sentencing proceedings, about 50 Forbes locals gathered outside the courthouse in support, wearing T-shirts that read, She matters.
Ms Ticehurst’s father, Tony Ticehurst, delivered a powerful victim impact statement directly to the killer in court, referencing the Johnny Cash lyrics heard in Billings’ pre-recorded video. I hope that every night Molly’s screams keep you awake and the hairs on your arm stands up in terror,
Mr Ticehurst told the court, as detailed by SMH.
The tragedy galvanized the nation against gendered violence and led to legal changes in New South Wales, including tighter bail laws for individuals accused of domestic violence. Reflecting on the legislative reform known as Molly’s law, her father expressed pride, noting that it had brought some comfort to her grieving family.
