A shocking murder trial unfolding in Wellington High Court has revealed how cryptocurrency trading and deception may have played a central role in the violent death of a 79-year-old woman, allegedly at the hands of her own daughter.
The accused, 42-year-old Julia DeLuney, is charged with the murder of her mother, Helen Gregory, whose body was found in their Khandallah home in January 2024. What was initially believed to be an accidental fall from the attic was later challenged by forensic experts who determined her injuries were inconsistent with such a scenario.
As the trial proceeds, prosecutors have detailed an alleged pattern of financial exploitation, with DeLuney reportedly draining her mother’s retirement savings under the pretense of lucrative digital asset investments. Court documents show that DeLuney, a former educator, had accumulated extensive debts through failed crypto trades and turned to fabricating profits to solicit further funds.
A Pattern of Financial Exploitation
Investigators revealed that in the year leading up to the incident, DeLuney funneled more than NZD $150,000 (approx. USD $90,000) into cryptocurrency exchanges. Despite presenting herself as a savvy trader, she allegedly suffered substantial losses and masked her deficit through falsified account screenshots and misleading emails to family members.
Two days before Gregory’s death, DeLuney sent her mother a message claiming that a cryptocurrency portfolio managed in her name had earned over $160,000 USD. She then asked for $9,000 toward “taxes and processing fees”—a tactic prosecutors say was entirely fabricated.
Gregory complied, withdrawing a significant portion from her retirement fund just one day before her death. Instead of funding any blockchain transaction, financial experts testified that the money was spent on personal expenses, including online shopping platforms, gambling, and paying off existing credit card debt. Less than 10% of the funds were ever invested.
“Ms. DeLuney used a facade of financial sophistication to prey on her own family’s trust,” said prosecutor Claire Matthison. “What began as a pattern of deception ended in tragedy.”
Crypto Forensics Uncover Digital Trail
Chainalysis, a blockchain analytics firm consulted by authorities, stated that the case highlights how digital ledger transparency can help crack financial crimes. “The immutable nature of blockchain records provided investigators with a clear trail, despite the suspect’s belief in crypto’s anonymity,” the company told reporters.
The defense, meanwhile, argues that police rushed to judgment, claiming investigators ignored other possible explanations for the death. DeLuney maintains that she left the home to call for help after her mother’s fall and returned to find her deceased. Forensic evidence, however, indicates that blood patterns contradict this version of events.
The trial continues this week, with further testimony expected from digital forensics specialists and close family members. The case has sparked renewed public debate in New Zealand about the risks of unregulated crypto trading and its potential to intersect with financial abuse and violent crime.