Accused murderer told psychiatrist he wanted to kill his family before allegedly stabbing wife and newborn daughter to death, court hears

By KYLIE STEVENS, SENIOR BREAKING NEWS REPORTER, AUSTRALIA Published: 03:33, 29 July 2026 | Updated: 03:42, 29 July 2026 A man accused of stabbing his wife and their newborn daughter to death allegedly admitted to a psychiatrist months earlier that he wanted to kill his family, a court has heard. Matthew James Cox, 34, has been ordered to stand trial over the alleged murders of his wife Tayla Black and 11-week old Murphy Margaret at their Rockhampton home in Central Queensland in August 2023. He then allegedly drove to Rockhampton Airport and flew to Brisbane, where he spent two nights in the Fortitude Valley before handing himself into police. A two-day committal hearing in Rockhampton Magistrates Court this week heard new details about Cox's deteriorating state of mind in the years prior to the alleged murders.   His parents and siblings appeared by videolink to detail a period of mental health struggles sparked by gruelling Covid lockdowns in Victoria, where Cox and Black had previously lived before relocating to Queensland. In September 2022, Cox was admitted to a hospital psychiatric ward in Rockhampton, where he allegedly told a psychiatrist of his desires to kill his family, The Courier Mail reported. Cox later told his father Denis that 'it was just a cry for help and he was not planning on doing it'. His mother Linda Lind recalled seeing a decline in her son's mood between April and July 2023 - the months prior to the alleged killings. Matthew James Cox has been committed to stand trial over the deaths of his wife Tayla Black and their baby girl Murphy Margaret at their Rockhampton home in 2023 Less than a year earlier, Cox allegedly told a psychiatrist of his desires to kill his family. Pictured are he and Tayla Black on their wedding day By July, Cox appeared to be 'withdrawn', which his mother had put it down to 'exhaustion with a new baby'. The court also heard Cox sent a cryptic text to family members in a group chat on August 10 - two days after the alleged murders. Specific details of the message were not disclosed but described by his family as 'not the usual type of interaction'. 'The comments made in the text message were quite concerning as a father,' Denis Cox told the court on Tuesday. Rockhampton Leagues Club staff who had interacted with Cox on the day of the alleged killings also gave evidence. Receptionist Graham Lesley Randalls recalled noticing blood on Cox's driver's licence when he presented it to sign in to the venue. He also spotted fresh cut on Cox's hand and gave him a Band-Aid. 'He seemed to be nervous,' Mr Randalls told the court. Family members recalled Cox's mental health struggles in the months prior to killing his wife Tayla and their baby girl Pictured are the couple in 2023 shortly before their daughter's birth Tayla Black's family (pictured at her funeral) attended this week's committal hearing 'He didn't seem to be normal, wanting to get in and get away. 'Just the way he was, seemed tense and nervous, just sort of wanted to get signed in and get moving.' Cox, who remains in custody, sat in the dock at the committal hearing.  He declined the magistrate's offer to enter any plea to the two murder charges or comment on the evidence heard. 'No, your honour,' he replied.  Cox was committed to stand trial in Rockhampton Supreme Court at a later date. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.