
The grieving father whose four children, estranged wife and mother-in-law were all shot dead inside their rural home in a suspected mass murder-suicide has spoken out for the first time since the tragedy.

Aaron Cockman said his four autistic children — Taye, 13, Rylan, 12, Arye, 10, and Kadyn, 8 - looked 'peaceful in their beds' after they were allegedly shot by their grandfather Peter Miles.

In an emotional address to media outside the Margaret River police station Sunday, Mr Cockman chillingly claimed Peter Miles had made a calculated decision to murder three generations of his family before committing suicide.

'Peter didn't snap. He's thought this through. I think he's been thinking this through for a long time,' he said.

'All these kids died peacefully in their beds. The (police officer) that went through, he said they looked all peaceful.

'How the hell Peter did that I still can't figure out, but if someone did it ... he did a good job, he did a really good job.'

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Grieving father Aaron Cockman, whose four children, estranged wife and mother-in-law were shot dead inside their rural home, has broken his silence about the tragedy

Peter Miles (second from left in suit and blue tie) is reportedly suspected of shooting dead his wife, Cynda, (back right), his daughter Katrina Miles (left in red dress) and her four autistic children aged from 8 to 13 (pictured) before shooting himself

'Peter didn't snap. He's thought this through. I think he's been thinking this through for a long time,' Mr Cockman claimed

A stunned Mr Cockman spoke candidly about his ongoing custody battle with his estranged wife, revealing he had been cut off from his children six months ago and was desperately fighting to get them back before the massacre.

'I used to drive around town just hoping to see them - but that anger I felt is gone,' he said.

'If it wasn't for Kate's parents and the whole turn around, I'd still be with her and the kids.'

He said he was frustrated with his estranged wife's family after being denied the right to see his children, 'but this is not how I'd want to get back at them'.

'This is a whole new level. The anger towards them now is completely gone, completely gone.'

Mr Cockman said his parent-in-laws were not the 'people you want to get on the wrong side of', and that before being cut off from his children, he and Mr Miles were best friends.

'He (Peter) was an awesome man, before all this blew up.'

'I haven't talked to them since they cut me off from my kids.

'I don't feel angry. I feel tremendous sadness for my kids. But I don't want anyone to feel angry.

'Anger will destroy you. I'm tremendously sad but I'll get through this.'

Peter was said to have 'sounded strange' the day before he allegedly shot three generations of his family before taking his own life on their remote 'Forever Dreaming' farm in Osmington, Western Australia.

The grandfather suspected of shooting of his wife, their daughter and four children (pictured together) before turning the gun on himself 'sounded strange' the day before the mass shooting, according to neighbours

Three generations were found shot dead at the rural farm in Osmington, 15km east of Margaret River in Western Australia, including Katrina Miles and her four children (pictured together) aged between 8 and 13

Neighbour Richard Dossor said he spoke to the 61-year-old, who was found with a bullet wound as he lay slumped in a deck chair on the veranda, about doing farm maintenance work on his property.

'[He was] just not someone who I would have thought was keen to find a new client or customer,' Mr Dossor told The West Australian.

'He didn't seem enthusiastic if you know what I mean?'

Police confirmed the three firearms located at the scene of the murder-suicide belonged to Peter and that he was a suspect of shooting dead his wife Cynda Miles, 58, their daughter Katrina Miles, 38, and her four autistic children — Taye, 13, Rylan, 12, Arye, 10, and Kadyn Cockman, 8.

In a press conference on Saturday, Western Australian Commissioner Chris Dawson said two officers attended the scene shortly after receiving a 000 call from a male, thought to have been Peter, at the Osmington property, where all seven family members lived, at 5.15am on Friday.

The call lasted two minutes. He would not confirm if Peter, who once worked at Margaret River Senior High School as a farm manager, made the call however investigators are not looking for any other suspects.

A neighbour told ABC News he had spoken to a man who lived at the property just hours before the bodies were found.

'I was talking to him on the phone last night, I was going to ask him to come over tomorrow. He seemed very vague,' he said.

Just two days before the shooting, the grandfather posted an ad looking for 'vineyard and farm work' on Gumtree, The Australian reported.

'I have over 30 years farming experience and over 12 years vineyard experience,' Peter wrote.

'I have extensive handyman abilities and experience with a wide variety of farm equipment, can repair fences, and tidy up on the property from storm damage.

'I have lived in the Margaret River area all my life and welcome all enquiries.'

Neighbour Richard Dossor said he spoke to the 61-year-old, who was found with a bullet wound as he lay slumped in a deck chair on the veranda, about doing farm maintenance work on his property (pictured) but he didn't sound 'enthusiastic'

Peter's wife, Cynda Miles (left and right), was an active member of local community group Transition Margaret River which seeks a happier and more sustainable future and ran her own business

The grisly murder-suicide at a remote farm house (pictured) in Western Australia has shocked the nation. It is the worst mass shooting since the Port Arthur massacre in 1996

Commissioner Dawson would not confirm rumours that the murder-suicide was sparked by financial hardship.

He said the children's father Aaron Cockman - a local builder who is estranged from Katrina - has been informed of the tragedy and was 'devastated'.

Despite sharing on Facebook last month that her ex 'does not stop stalking (her)', police have confirmed that Mr Cockman is not a suspect.

The grisly murder-suicide at the property, 15km from Margaret River, shocked the nation and has become Australia's worst mass shooting since the Port Arthur massacre in 1996.

Katrina is thought to have home schooled her four children at the farm after they moved there when her marriage broke up.

Peter and Cynda bought the farm in 2014 and planned to live a sustainable life with their daughter and grandchildren.

A neighbour told ABC News he had spoken to a man who lived at the property (pictured) just hours before the bodies were found however he seemed 'very vague'

Just last week, the grandfather posted an ad looking for 'vineyard and farm work' on Gumtree (Osmington property pictured)

Two officers found one male dead outside the home (pictured) on a veranda, one female deceased inside the house and another female and the four children dead inside a 'conversed shed structure' - who all had suffered gunshot wounds

The children's grandparents (Cynda pictured) bought the farm in 2014 and planned to live a sustainable life with their family after their daughter's marriage breakup

Katrina is thought to have home schooled her four autistic children, Taye, Rylan, Ayre and Kadyn Cockman, at the farm known as Forever Dreaming (pictured)

Katrina (pictured) is believed to be estranged from her children's father, Aaron Cockman, but despite sharing on Facebook last month that her ex 'does not stop stalking (her)', police said Mr Cockman was not a suspect

Commissioner Dawson on Friday described the incident as a 'significant tragedy'.

He said a 'male person' had phoned police about an hour after nearby residents woke to the sound of gun shots.

'Based on what we do know, this is clearly a tragedy... police located seven persons deceased. Four children and three adults,' he said.

Another neighbour, Felicity Haynes, told Daily Mail Australia that Cynda and Peter had moved to the countryside to build the sustainable farm as a home for Katrina, her daughter and three sons.

'Cynda and Pete… moved out from town three years ago ... they had started to build a river farm and had done fabulous work growing their own vegetables and building dams,' she said.

'That's what makes it so tragic. They were building a self-sustainable farm to raise the family there.'

This image shows the kitchen of the remote farm where a mass-murder suicide was discovered early Friday morning

Two adults were found dead outside a building on the rural property, before the bodies of four children and another adult were discovered inside. Pictured: A bedroom in the house

Osmington community consists of dirt roads similar to the dusty track at the sustainable farm (pictured) where seven bodies were found

Inspector Chris Dawson (pictured) addressed the media on the tragedy on Saturday morning and would not confirm rumours that the murder-suicide was sparked by financial hardship

In a press conference on Saturday morning, WA Police Commissioner Chris Dawson said all three long-arm firearms found at the Osmington property, where all seven family members lived, were registered to Peter

Police Commissioner of Western Australia Chris Dawson holds a press conference as Augusta-Margaret River Shire President Pam Townshend looks on outside Margaret River Police Station

A friend of Katrina told The Australian she 'worked tirelessly to provide her children with everything they needed'.

'I always admired her for her strength The kids were kind, gentle, smart and beautiful children.'

Her mother Cynda was an active member of local community group Transition Margaret River which seeks a happier and more sustainable future.

The well-loved local also owns a craft company, Soft Salvage, where she turned recycled materials into decorative pieces, news.com.au reported.

Nearby residents said they heard gunfire around 4am but dismissed the sound as coming from kangaroo shooters (farm pictured)

On the farm's website, Cynda Miles wrote of watching her grandchildren play with the animals.

'Forever Dreaming is our forever farm. It is here that we will grow as much of our food as we can, sit on the veranda and watch the birds, and watch the grandchildren immerse themselves in the animals and everything else that happens on a daily basis,' she wrote.

Police were met with horrific scenes when they arrived at the 30 acre farm with two houses on Friday morning.

Nearby residents said they heard gunfire around 4am but dismissed the sound as coming from kangaroo shooters.

Police were met with horrific scenes when they arrived at the 30 acre farm (pictured) with two houses on Friday morning

A neighbour told the ABC he had spoken to a man who lived at the property just hours before the bodies were found

Julia Meldrum, deputy president of the Shire of Augusta-Margaret River, told Daily Mail Australia the district was in deep shock after the horrific discovery on the remote property (pictured)

Another neighbour who lives across the road from the property told Fairfax he hadn't heard anything unusual.

'There was nothing much I could tell [police],' said the semi-retired farmer, adding he didn't know the residents very well.

'I'd seen who I assume was the father out in a paddock one day, on a tractor. But I didn't have the opportunity to say hello.'

Julia Meldrum, deputy president of the Shire of Augusta-Margaret River, told Daily Mail Australia the district was in deep shock.

'It's devastating,' the distressed mother-of-two said.

'It's just shock and devastating for the community.

The grisly murder-suicide at a remote farm house (pictured) in Western Australia shocked the nation as one of the worst shootings in the nation's last two decades

Police are believed to remain at the chilling scene where children were among seven people found dead for several days

Signs leading to the family farm (pictured) which was bought the Miles family about four years ago in late December

The tiny community of Osmington has a population of a couple of hundred where farmers make up most of the tight knit town

'I actually feel like vomiting. The shire has a population of 14,000 people but each town is very close knit.

Jan Walsh told Australian Associated Press they lived in a very 'caring town'.

'There's retired people who live down here, there's ex-farmers,' she said.

'It's just a wonderful place to live and everyone's so friendly.

'You wave to everyone coming down Osmington Road and you don't even know them.'

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE MASS SHOOTING - Investigations are turning to Peter Miles, the husband of Cynda Miles, father of Katrina Miles and grandfather of her four children all found shot dead - Police found seven bodies at the family farm in Osmington, 15 km from Margaret River in WA, after being called there just after 5am on Friday - All three long-arm guns found at the property were registered to Peter Miles - Four of the victims were children, three were adults including Peter Miles - The victims suffered gunshot wounds - Three firearms were found at the scene - Katrina's estranged husband, Aaron Cockman, is not a person of interest - Locals say the family that lived at the farm were respected and contributors to the community - Osmington is in the Margaret River region, which is renowned for its surf breaks and vineyards - Osmington had a population of just 135 people in the 2016 Census - The region consists of a handful of roads, farms, vineyards, horse studs, holiday chalets, luxury accommodation, a small church, a five-star dog retreat and gourmet dining Advertisement

'In Margaret River there's a lot of children and a lot of young families. It'll be devastating for the community. It's touched many people, people I'm sure will know one another.

'The shire will be doing whatever we can to provide support and whatever else we can do in addition... I've got young children as well. It's just devastating.'

Shire president Pamela Townshend said the town would struggle to come to grips with the horror.

'It's an isolated rural area. There's no centre of town. Everyone comes into town to do their shopping,' she said.

'There's a lot of giving each other vegetables, cooking each other meals, looking after each other when they're ill - very connected in deep ways.'

Flowers are left next to a police roadblock where police are investigating the death of seven people in suspected murder-suicide

Flowers and a note marked 'Katrina and family' lay at the site where seven bodies were tragically found

Shire president Pamela Townshend believed the deaths should lead to further debate about gun and family violence

'Everyone's involved in everyone else's business in a small town so it's going to be a huge shock for this town.

'The shire will provide as much support as we can for our town, for the community and for the remaining family members.

'There are community members already rallying to work out a support response for the family. We're already seeing this rallying.

Councillor Townshend believed the deaths should lead to further debate about gun and family violence.

'Once again we are faced with this problem in families with gun violence and male violence, assuming it is male violence,' she said.

'We need to have it firmly on the table to talk about it and not just have it as an isolated mental health issue of one person. It's society's problem.

Osmington, about 260km south of Perth, is a 10-minute drive east of the Margaret River township.

The tiny community, which ABS data shows has about 135 residents, mostly consists of farmland properties and vineyards.

Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.