The tenants who rented the home where Borce Ristevski allegedly murdered his wife Karen (pictured) weren’t told about the property’s history
The home where Borce Ristevski allegedly murdered his wife Karen was advertised for rent as ‘quite simply, one of the area’s finest’ abodes.
But the tenants who signed the $775 per week lease were reportedly not told the Melbourne property was the scene of a suspected murder.
‘When I heard… I was like holy sh** and then I put two and two together,’ Jared Hopkins, one of five men living at the Avondale Heights home, told the Herald Sun.
Another occupant claimed he was ‘told not to talk’ when asked if real estate agents disclosed the property’s history before he moved in.
President of the Real Estate Institute of Victoria Richard Simpson told the paper the ‘best practice’ in such situations was for agents to ‘disclose any adverse events’ that may have occurred in advertised properties.
The tenants who signed the $775 per week lease were not told the Melbourne property (pictured) was the scene of a suspected murder
In a conversation captured by a police listening device planted inside the home in September 2016, Mr Ristevski was questioned about his movements the day his wife disappeared by their daughter, Sarah (left)
The four-bedroom home, which includes a billiard room with a bar, is worth about $1.1million and is thought to have earned Borce Ristevski $20,000 in rent since he leased it out around six months ago.
‘With its vast interior and designer details throughout, this landmark home provides an idyllic indoor/outdoor lifestyle along with arguably the most spectacular outlook in the entire suburb,’ the home’s listing reads.
Ristevski, 54, who is relying on legal aid to defend his murder charge, has denied killing his dress shop owner wife, Karen, 47.
In a conversation captured by a police listening device planted inside the home in September 2016, Mr Ristevski was questioned about his movements the day his wife disappeared by their daughter, Sarah.
The four-bedroom home, which includes a billiard room with a bar, is worth about $1.1million
Ristevski, 54, is accused of murdering his dress shop-owner wife Karen (pictured left with friends) at the family’s Avondale Heights home before dumping her body in bushland
‘I was going to get shisha. I didn’t say anything because I didn’t know it was legal,’ he replied.
Prosecutor Matt Fisher detailed the conversation in closing submissions of a hearing to decide whether Ristevski stands trial for murder.
As read by Mr Fisher, Sarah went on: ‘You were out of the house for two hours. Your phone is off for two hours… They pinged you on the Calder [Freeway].’
Ristevski responded: ‘That’s what they are trying to plant out there, Sarah.’
‘That doesn’t make sense,’ Sarah said.
‘Nothing makes sense because they’re making it up as they go,’ he replied.
‘With its vast interior and designer details throughout, this landmark home provides an idyllic indoor/outdoor lifestyle along with arguably the most spectacular outlook in the entire suburb,’ the home’s listing reads
Ms Ristevski (pictured, left, with Borce, centre, and daughter Sarah, right) went missing in June 2016
Detectives allege Ristevski killed his wife, bundled her into his car and drove to Macedon Regional Park, taking the Calder Freeway.
Mr Fisher said in court Ristevski concealed the body in a ‘thorough’ way and deliberately switched off or deactivated his phone before arriving in the bush.
Ms Ristevski’s skeletal remains were found in February 2017 by two horticulturalists who had noticed a strange smell.
After a high-profile committal hearing, magistrate Suzanne Cameron decided earlier this month there was enough evidence to send Ristevski to trial charged with murder.
Ristevski is pictured carrying the coffin of his wife Karen at her funeral in March, 2017
Detectives leave the home of then-missing Melbourne mother Karen Ristevski in February, 2017
His defence team had argued the murder charge should be abandoned in favour of sending Ristevski to trial on the the lesser charge of manslaughter.
But prosecutors argued his behaviour after the alleged killing suggested he intended to murder his wife.
They said in court he could not have accidentally killed his wife, given he allegedly concealed her body and lied to family and police.
An autopsy was unable to determine Ms Ristevski’s cause of death.
Justice Elizabeth Hollingworth set down a second directions hearing for December 12 ahead of the March trial.
The Melbourne property is thought to have earned Borce Ristevski $20,000 in rent since he leased it out around six months ago
Sarah Ristevski carries a photo of her mother at her funeral at St Johns Uniting Church in Essendon
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