A harrowing case of domestic violence concluded today as Roland James Griffiths, aged 41, was sentenced to life in prison by Melbourne’s Supreme Court. Nearly four years after committing the horrific act, Griffiths faces justice for setting his wife, Kylie Sheahan, and her daughter ablaze in a lethal attack.
The tragedy unfolded in March 2022, at the family’s home in Albanvale, located in Melbourne’s northwest. Under the influence of alcohol, Griffiths doused Sheahan, a 35-year-old mother of six, with petrol before using a lighter to ignite the flames. The devastating fire claimed Sheahan’s life and left her 16-year-old daughter with severe burns covering over half of her body as she heroically attempted to rescue her mother.
In the months leading up to this fatal incident, Griffiths had repeatedly threatened to set the house on fire, escalating tensions within the household. On that fateful night, seven children were present, witnessing the terrifying event that would forever change their lives.
During the trial, it was revealed that two of Griffiths’ stepdaughters desperately pleaded with him to stop. Instead of heeding their cries, Griffiths cruelly mocked them, demonstrating a chilling disregard for their pleas and the lives of his family.
Seven children were home when a heavily intoxicated Griffiths poured a jerry can of petrol onto Sheahan and then held a lighter against her.
Two of his stepdaughters begged him not to light the petrol and instead of listening he taunted them, the court was told.
“I promise bub, I swear … I won’t do it,” Griffiths replied, before placing the lighter near the ground and setting Sheahan alight.
Flames spread to his 16-year-old stepdaughter and to Griffiths, who extinguished the fire on himself before helping his wife.
Sheahan was dragged to the bathroom, given a cold shower and then Griffiths took her outside and sprayed his wife with a hose.
The children who were trapped inside the house, including a 10-month-old and a two-year-old, were rescued by their older siblings before the entire home caught fire.
Emergency services heard Griffiths blaming Sheahan for the fire and telling her: “Why didn’t you stop me, you should’ve stopped me and I should be in jail”.
The woman, who was in the early stages of dying, lied to police for him, saying Griffiths tried to light himself on fire and when she tried to stop him she caught fire too.
Sheahan was taken to hospital with burns to 91 per cent of her body, but she died on March 18, 2022, four days after the blaze.
The day Griffiths was supposed to face trial, in February 2025, he indicated he wanted to plead guilty to murder and recklessly causing injury to his stepchild.
Justice John Champion labelled the murder a brutal example of the offence and pointed out his taunting of his victims who must have been “terrified”.
He noted Griffiths’ victim blaming of Sheahan after the offending was “particularly repugnant”.
“I make it clear that Ms Sheahan was completely blameless, innocent and did not deserve the treatment you meted out to her at all,” the judge said.
“Your attack on Ms Sheahan was grievously inappropriate.”
Justice Champion jailed Griffiths for life, with 32 years to serve before he is eligible for parole.
Griffiths has spent more than 1300 days in custody as he has been in jail since his arrest in March 2022.
