Nurse, 31, recovering from brain surgery was allegedly stabbed to death by her boyfriend, 33, who was caring for her after the operation
- Cait O’Brien, 31, was found stabbed to death in home she shared with boyfriend
- Her partner Shea Sturt, 33, was arrested at the Melbourne block of flats
- Emergency services were called with reports a woman had been stabbed
- The man as charged with murder and will face court on Wednesday morning
A nurse allegedly murdered by her boyfriend inside their flat was recovering from brain surgery she had just a month earlier.
Cait O’Brien, 31, was found dead after police kicked down the door about 7.30pm on Tuesday to conduct a welfare check.
Her boyfriend Shea Sturt, 33, was arrested by homicide police soon after the body was discovered in Gardenvale, southeast Melbourne.
Cait O’Brien, 31, was found dead after police kicked down the door on Tuesday to conduct a welfare check
Shea Sturt, 33, was arrested by homicide police soon after the body was discovered, and charged with murder
A close family member said Ms O’Brien was the ‘most beautiful girl’ and hoped justice would be served.
Ms O’Brien had brain surgery on May 14 to remove a brain tumour and praised Sturt for cooking and taking care of her as she recovered.
‘I am home now and just requiring Panadol with the occasional Endone. Showering and dressing myself etc,’ she told friends after the operation.
‘Shea is taking care of all the chores and cooking.’
Ms O’Brien was able to see the funny side of her medical experience, joking that her head looked like a tennis ball and dyeing the stubble green would make for a good Halloween costume.
Ms O’Brien had brain surgery on May 14 to remove a brain tumour and praised Sturt for cooking and taking care of household chores as she recovered
Her death is a double tragedy for the family as her uncle Russell Gill died just four weeks ago, aged 68
‘When I go back to work I plan to tell the patients that my hair fell out due to the stress of nursing,’ she joked.
Soon before her surgery last moths she wrote: ‘Goodbye little brain pea!’
Her death is a double tragedy for the family as her uncle Russell Gill died just four weeks ago, aged 68.
A neighbour said the couple lived in the apartment for two years, but she hadn’t been seen for weeks.
Accused murderer Sturt faced Melbourne Magistrate’s court on Wednesday morning
‘It would be at least four or five weeks since we’ve seen her, which was out of the ordinary,’ neighbour Julie told 9 News.
‘That’s what’s worried me. The fact that we hadn’t seen her for a while – how long has she been up there for?’
Julie said the woman, who worked full time, was ‘introverted’ and though she had a ‘happy face’ she was ‘timid’ ‘just never looked happy’.
Another neighbour said they heard noises or disturbances over the time the couple lived in the flat, but nothing suspicious.
A man has been charged with murder after a woman known to him was found dead inside an apartment in this complex in Gardenvale, Melbourne
The woman could have been lying dead on the floor of the flat (pictured) for up to five weeks as neighbours hadn’t seen her for a long time
Forensics officers cordoned off parts of the building on Kooyong Road and were combing through the second-floor flat.
Police said the exact circumstances and cause of death are yet to be established and investigations are ongoing.
Accused murderer Sturt faced Melbourne Magistrate’s court on Wednesday morning.
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