Australian woman is raped and murdered while hiking up a mountain in Georgia – and her friend hears her final seconds in a frantic phone call

  • Shanae Edwards was hiking up a mountain in Georgia when she was jumped
  • A friend reported being on a phone call with her as she shouted at someone 
  • Ms Brooke’s injured body was recovered the next day by searchers

By Peter Vincent For Daily Mail Australia

Published: 05:49 BST, 3 August 2021 | Updated: 06:02 BST, 3 August 2021

An Australian teacher has been raped and murdered while hiking in Eastern Europe, with her terrifying final moments heard by a friend in an international phone call.

Shanae Brooke Edwards, 31, was hiking by herself on Mount Mtatsminda in Tbiilsi, Georgia when she was jumped and assaulted on Friday July 30 before her dead body was found the next day.

Ms Edwards was on a call to friend Nina Lulla in the United States while trekking on Friday afternoon when she was heard to shout ‘take your hands off me’ – before the call cut out.

Shanae Brooke Edwards, 31, was hiking by herself on Mount Mtatsminda in Tbiilsi, Georgia when she was jumped and assaulted on Friday July 30 before her dead body was found the next day

Shanae Brooke Edwards, 31, was hiking by herself on Mount Mtatsminda in Tbiilsi, Georgia when she was jumped and assaulted on Friday July 30 before her dead body was found the next day

Ms Edwards had volunteered in Melbourne. Her body was retrieved by a team of volunteer searchers, including her friends, on Saturday July 31

Ms Edwards had volunteered in Melbourne. Her body was retrieved by a team of volunteer searchers, including her friends, on Saturday July 31

Ms Edwards had volunteered in Melbourne. Her body was retrieved by a team of volunteer searchers, including her friends, on Saturday July 31

Ms Edwards had called Ms Lulla moments earlier, who heard her pleading ‘Please let me go, ok … just let me go’, the Herald Sun reported.

Her body was retrieved by a team of volunteer searchers, including her friends, on Saturday July 31. 

The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia launched an investigation into her death, which is being treated as premeditated murder.

Georgian Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri told media the suspect was a Georgian national.

‘The ministry and police officers are doing their best to find the murderer… We [the Ministry of Internal Affairs] have some information, though I can not talk about it due to the interests of the investigation’, said Mr Gomelauri. 

Ms Edwards, from Melbourne, had been teaching English for two years in the former Soviet republic of Georgia

Ms Edwards, from Melbourne, had been teaching English for two years in the former Soviet republic of Georgia

Ms Edwards, from Melbourne, had been teaching English for two years in the former Soviet republic of Georgia 

Ms Edwards posted a photo of herself on a mountain with the caption ‘Joy’ on Instagram on Thursday.

She volunteered with various causes in Melbourne including with homeless people and was understood to have loved rescuing stray cats.

She had been teaching English in the former Soviet republic for two years. 

More to come 

:

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk