A Rockhampton man accused of the tragic double murder of his wife and infant daughter is currently facing a committal hearing, where a series of testimonies have begun to paint a complex and often conflicting picture of his character and behaviour leading up to the alleged crimes. Among the most startling revelations heard in court was an employer's account of a deceptive phone call made by the accused just days before the bodies were discovered.

Matthew James Cox stands charged with two counts of murder following the deaths of his 30-year-old wife, Tayla Black, and their 11-week-old daughter, Murphy. Their bodies were discovered at the family's Rockhampton residence on August 10, 2023, with authorities believing they had been deceased for approximately two days prior to their discovery.

Appearing in person at the Rockhampton Magistrates Court on Monday, Mr. Cox listened as the committal hearing commenced, set to hear evidence from 19 witnesses over three days. Crown prosecutor Joshua Phillips indicated that the cross-examination of these witnesses would primarily focus on their interactions with Mr. Cox in the months preceding the tragic deaths.

One of the first to give evidence was Mitchell Harris, Mr. Cox's former manager at Southern Cross Austereo. Mr. Harris recounted receiving a phone call from Mr. Cox on August 8, 2023, where he claimed his mother had been involved in an accident and he would be unable to attend work. "I believed he was telling me the truth that his mother had been involved in an accident," Mr. Harris stated, noting that while Mr. Cox wasn't crying, he also wasn't cheerful. Later that evening, Mr. Harris received a text message from Mr. Cox informing him that his mother had passed away.

Under questioning from defence barrister Jade-Ann Reeves, Mr. Harris was asked about knowing "two different Matts" – one before and one after Mr. Cox's admission to a mental health facility in 2022. Mr. Harris conceded that after this period, Mr. Cox was "less outgoing, not as loud, not as sociable... not unusually quiet, we just socialised less."

Tayla Black's parents also provided moving testimonies. Her mother, Anmaree Black, described her son-in-law as "a hands-on dad" and stated that she did not observe him becoming withdrawn, affirming, "No, to me he was just Matt." She recalled their last interaction with Mr. Cox on August 6, when Tayla drove her parents to the airport for a holiday to Bali, describing it as "a normal day."

Conversely, Tayla's father, Gerald Black, testified that he had noticed Mr. Cox becoming increasingly withdrawn in the months leading up to the deaths. Mr. Black also revealed receiving a "cryptic" message from his daughter's phone on August 10, the specifics of which were not disclosed to the court.

Further insights into Mr. Cox's character were provided by a witness, whose identity remains protected for privacy reasons, who met Mr. Cox at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting in December 2022. This witness described Mr. Cox as having "an ego" and attending meetings regularly. While he was "willing to share," he reportedly "wasn't reading literature or going through steps with a sponsor," suggesting a limited engagement with the program's deeper aspects.

However, another former colleague, Carla Mulholland, painted a different picture, stating she hadn't noticed anything unusual in her conversations with Mr. Cox in the months preceding August 2023. She remembered him as often "smiling, cracking jokes," and recalled him mentioning "how different life was now that bub [was born]," seemingly embracing fatherhood.

The courtroom was notably filled, with approximately half of the gallery occupied by supporters of the Black family, underscoring the deep community impact of this harrowing case. The committal hearing continues, as the court seeks to establish whether there is sufficient evidence to proceed to a full trial.