Police say a man carefully planned the gruesome killings of his wife and two autistic sons for months before allegedly murdering them, having been inspired by a similar crime interstate.

The 47-year-old called police to the family’s Campbelltown home on Monday night, allegedly telling a Triple Zero operator: “I kill my kids and my wife … with knives”, according to court documents obtained by the Herald.

Investigations continue as the 47-year-old faced court.© Sitthixay Ditthavong

Inside the home, police found the bodies of the man’s 46-year-old wife, and their two sons, aged four and 12. All three had suffered lacerations and other significant injuries the Herald has chosen not to publish details of due to their graphic nature. The killings are considered among the most confronting alleged domestic violence attacks encountered by the state’s most experienced investigators.

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was arrested and charged with three counts of domestic violence murder.

It’s believed the father was the stay-at-home carer of the boys who had developmental issues. His wife worked, and the pair had emigrated from Bangladesh about a decade ago.

Court documents state that the man was aware of the apparent murder-suicide in Perth. The parents, who had been “overwhelmed” caring for their sons who lived with autism, killed their children and then themselves in January.

Locals expressed shock at the deaths.© Sitthixay Ditthavong

Police officers remained at the scene on Tuesday morning.© Sitthixay Ditthavong

It is alleged by police that the Campbelltown father had allegedly begun planning to do the same after reading a news article about the deaths at the time.

The father told police he had suffered from depression since being diagnosed with cancer in 2024, according to the court documents. He has been in remission since January 2025.

He did not appear in Campbelltown Local Court when his matter was briefly mentioned on Tuesday, and did not apply for bail.

Police have described the crime scene as “particularly violent”.© Kate Geraghty

His solicitor, Jawad Hosain, told reporters outside court that his client was “distressed” in the police cells.

“It’s a tragic set of circumstances, and he is distraught,” he said.

Acting Superintendent Michael Moroney on Monday night said first responders were confronted by “a particularly violent crime scene”.

A police forensic officer in a Campbelltown street where the bodies of a woman and two children were found on Monday night.© Kate Geraghty

A police officer walks down a Campbelltown street where three bodies were found on Monday night.© Kate Geraghty

Detectives had located several items inside the house “which would be of interest in regard to the injuries sustained”, Moroney said. No firearms were found inside the home.

The man was not known to police and did not have a criminal history, Moroney said. The family had no prior engagement with the Department of Communities and Justice.

“I can reassure the public that domestic violence is a number-one priority for NSW Police, and we will continue to prioritise [arresting alleged] DV offenders,” Moroney said.

A crime scene remains in place.© KATE GERAGHTY

Police cordoned off a section of the street surrounding the home as investigators canvassed the crime scene and interviewed neighbours. No one else was believed to be inside the home at the time of the alleged attack.

One neighbour told reporters they had seen the “happy” children playing outside the home.

Another, who had lived all her life in the streets around the home, said it was “always shocking” to hear about an alleged domestic violence murder.

“But when it happens in your neighbourhood, your home, I can’t believe it,” she said on Tuesday morning.

Flowers left near the crime scene in Campbelltown.© Sitthixay Ditthavong

A nearby resident said she didn’t have money to buy flowers, so she cut some of her own to lay at the crime scene.

“How could you do this? They’re babies. Babies,” she said.

Premier Chris Minns said people were “rightly outraged and devastated” by the shocking alleged triple murder: “So am I.”

The government will consider further funding to target domestic violence in June’s state budget.

Neighbours and onlookers outside the police cordon on Tuesday morning.© Sitthixay Ditthavong

“We have dramatically increased our domestic violence spending, both in capital terms, law enforcement terms, but also directly to frontline service providers,” Minns said on Tuesday.

“It’s not enough, and they’ve made that point.”

The deaths come days after 993 people were arrested and charged during a statewide blitz under Operation Amarok, which targets domestic and family violence. Officers laid more than 2000 charges over four days.