Sydney stabbing victim Michaela Dunn funded extravagant travels as a sex worker

A 24-year-old woman allegedly stabbed to death in her Sydney apartment was able to live a double-life as a high-end escort.

Michaela Dunn was found with her throat slit inside an apartment in central Sydney on Tuesday, with her accused killer, Mert Ney, then allegedly sparking chaos on the city’s streets. 

Ms Dunn, a former student at University of Notre Dame, was able to fund travels to Sri Lanka and the US in the past year while working in the lucrative industry.

Michaela Dunn was found with her throat slit inside an apartment in central Sydney on Tuesday, with her accused killer, Mert Ney, then allegedly sparking chaos on the city’s streets

Her last trip on documented on social media was to glamorous and star-studded Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in California just four months ago. 

The 24-year-old also enjoyed travels through Fiji and Europe, visiting the latter with Australian owned tour group Contiki. 

Ms Dunn is understood to have first registered as a sole trader in July 2016, The Australian reported. 

Cameron Cox, chief executive of the government-funded Sex Workers Outreach Project (SWOT), told the publication sex work is deemed to be an acceptable form of money-making for university students. 

‘I put myself through university by doing sex work and that was more than 40 years ago … It wasn’t uncommon then, and it’s not uncommon now,’ he said. 

According to police sources, Ms Dunn and her friend were running a sex service through the fourth-floor Clarence Street unit.   

Ms Dunn is pictured on holiday at Park Güell in Barcelona, Spain, in October 2017

Ms Dunn is pictured on holiday at Park Güell in Barcelona, Spain, in October 2017

They confirmed Ms Dunn’s friend found the victim’s body about an hour after she was allegedly stabbed.

Ms Dunn was reportedly living a double-life, with her tragic death lifting the lid on her choice of employment. 

Her grieving sister Emily told The Daily Telegraph the family were still processing the death.

‘We didn’t know anything, we’re trying to grieve, we’re all in shock and trying to come to terms with all that’s happened,’ she said.      

Her mother Joanne told Nine News Ms Dunn was a ‘beautiful, loving woman who had studied at university and travelled widely’. 

Ms Dunn's last trip on documented on social media was to glamorous and star-studded Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in California just four months ago. The 24-year-old also enjoyed travels through Fiji and Europe, visiting the latter with Australian owned tour group Contiki

Ms Dunn’s last trip on documented on social media was to glamorous and star-studded Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in California just four months ago. The 24-year-old also enjoyed travels through Fiji and Europe, visiting the latter with Australian owned tour group Contiki

She also said the young woman was ‘very much loved’.

Freelance local website, privategirls.com.au, advises sex workers keep their private lives separate from their employment in their ‘tips and hints’ page.

‘Private Sex Workers today are more professional and business like than ever before,’ the website says.

‘They have goals and dreams of what they want and where they want to be in a few years time.’

Further, many modern sex workers choose to blur their faces as ‘putting themselves on the internet is a risk’. 

After allegedly killing Ms Dunn, Ney (left) is accused of fleeing on foot and stabbing Linda Bo, 41, in the back during a six-minute knife spree through the city's CBD

After allegedly killing Ms Dunn, Ney (left) is accused of fleeing on foot and stabbing Linda Bo, 41, in the back during a six-minute knife spree through the city’s CBD

It’s understood high-end escorts, working through sites like privategirls.com.au, can charge from about $700 an hour to more than $5000 for an overnight stay.  

After allegedly killing Ms Dunn, Ney is accused of fleeing on foot and stabbing Linda Bo, 41, in the back during a six-minute knife spree through the city’s CBD. 

Ney, 20, spent four days undergoing a mental health assessment at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital before he was released at midday on Friday.

He was taken to Surry Hills Police Station and was charged with murder, attempted murder, wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, intentionally choking with recklessness and common assault. 

Her mother Joanne told Nine News Ms Dunn (pictured) was a 'beautiful, loving woman who had studied at university and travelled widely'

Her mother Joanne told Nine News Ms Dunn (pictured) was a ‘beautiful, loving woman who had studied at university and travelled widely’ 

Ney appeared before Parramatta Bail Court on Saturday, bail was not applied for and was formally refused.

Outside court Ney’s lawyer Zemarai Khatiz revealed his client intended to defend the charges.

‘He’s going through a very difficult situation at this time,’ he told reporters.

‘But in relation to the allegations he will be defending the charges on the grounds of mental illness … and it will be a matter for trial at a later date.’ 

Lawyer John Bamford (right) heroically used a chair to keep at bay the 21-year-old man who allegedly went on a stabbing spree through Sydney's CBD (pictured left)

Lawyer John Bamford (right) heroically used a chair to keep at bay the 21-year-old man who allegedly went on a stabbing spree through Sydney’s CBD (pictured left)

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