Jessica Camilleri, 25, was charged with murder after allegedly beheading her mum Rita Camilleri, 57, on Saturday night
A woman who is accused of decapitating her mother appeared to have a fascination with horror films and shared a chilling Facebook post days before her mum’s death.
Jessica Camilleri, 25, was charged with murder after allegedly stabbing her mum Rita Camilleri, 57, to death on Saturday and throwing her head in a neighbour’s yard.
Ms Camilleri’s body was found in the kitchen of their house in St Clair, western Sydney, around 11.40pm.
Jessica appeared at Parramatta Bail Court the next morning where she revealed she was still covered in blood because she hadn’t ‘properly’ washed herself.
She told the court she suffered from autism, bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions.
Jessica’s Facebook profile also suggested she had an obsession with horror films.
Two days before her mum died, she had updated her cover photo to an article about a ‘Jeepers Creeper’ creature that appeared in Texas.
Eerie: Jessica’s Facebook profile also suggested she had an interest in horror as she had recently updated her cover photo to a story about a dark shadowy creature that had allegedly fell from the sky in Texas
In a 2017 Facebook post, Jessica said the horror film was her favourite movie
The story described a person’s encounter with a dark figure who had ‘huge wings’ and had allegedly fallen from the sky.
It referenced the 2001 popular horror film franchise based on a demonic creature, known as the ‘creeper’.
‘Interesting story,’ Jessica wrote in a comment.
Her mum later replied: ‘Yes interesting indeed.’
In a 2017 Facebook post, Jessica uploaded a photo from the Jeepers Creepers film, calling the movie, as well as horror film The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, her ‘favourite movies in the world.’
She had also uploaded a number of stills from other scary movies including 1973 film The Exorcist.
Her Facebook profile also showed a warm interaction with her mum after she updated her profile photo on July 18.
Ms Camilleri commented a heart a emoji to which Jessica replied: ‘Thank you mum oxox.’
Friends said the mum and daughter pair were ‘very close’ and were always seen together at the home, with no apparent conflict until the late-night screaming match.
Ms Camilleri’s friend Cathleen Day told Daily Mail Australia Jessica suffered ‘major mental issues but Rita always supported her.’
Rita Camilleri, 57, was found dead with her body lying inside her house and her severed head in a neighbour’s front yard down the street
Two days before her mum’s grisly death, Jessica was seen having a sweet interaction with her on Facebook after she updated her profile photo (above)
Her profile also included a number of stills from scary movies including, Jeepers Creepers (left) The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (right) and The Exorcist
‘They were very close. It’s so sad, I’m devastated,’ Ms Day said.
Chilling text messages obtained by The Daily Telegraph revealed Ms Camilleri had been concerned over her daughter’s apparently tumultuous relationship with a man.
In March, Ms Camilleri messaged friend Cory Rickard-Simms on Facebook saying she was forced to call the ambulance after Jessica suffered a ‘meltdown.’
‘[I] called the ambulance at 2.00 in the morning and the ambulance came with police but they didn’t take her to hospital because she hadn’t done anything at the time, and she got scared and worried at the time because she did not want to go back to the mental health unit hospital again…’ the message read.
‘She needs to wake up to herself because if she doesn’t, the police officer who came to my house with the ambulance told me if we find ourselves back here and have to come back out to the house for this matter this time she won’t be so lucky,’ a second text said.
In another message Ms Camilleri revealed Jessica had switched Facebook accounts because ‘of that guy she was having problems with’.
In a Facebook conversation with friend Cory Rickard-Simms, she revealed she had called the ambulance on her daughter after she suffered a ‘meltdown’ (left)
In another message Ms Camilleri revealed Jessica had switched Facebook accounts because ‘of that guy she was having problems with’
Earlier messages showed Mr Rickard-Simms had also told Jessica to ‘be careful’ with the man, warning she could end up in the hospital again. She later replied (pictured) agreeing
‘I told if I where (sic) you I would not be mucking around with this d**k head ever again,’ the message read.
‘….our whole family told her she is playing with fire doing this just let the d**khead go he is not worth it by a long shot…’
Earlier messages showed Mr Rickard-Simms had also told Jessica to ‘be careful’ with the man, warning she could end up in the hospital again.
She replied on January 31, stating: ‘My mum said, “I don’t know what the f**k you (sic) worrying about, he is not even good looking he is a ugly d**khead, you are worrying and wasting your days and time wanting to get even with that ugly pig” and she is right and so are you, I don’t want to be locked up in a spastic home for the rest of my days over this ugly motherf***er .’
Jessica’s best friend said the young woman has been in and out of mental hospitals but the mother and daughter seemed fine.
‘I saw Jess and her mum the night before, they were fine and laughing,’ she told the Daily Telegraph.
Jessica did not apply for bail when she faced court on Sunday and will be held for a mental health assessment.
‘I really need medical attention. I told all the officers and told the police at the station,’ she told the court.
‘I cannot move my fingers properly because of the incident. I am not fit to come to jail until I get cleaned up.
‘I could not wash myself properly in the shower to get all the blood off because of my fingers.’
Jessica said she suffered from autism, bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions.
Her daughter Jessica, 25, allegedly carried her head down the road before leaving it in a neighbour’s front yard. She has been charged with murder
Jessica, 25, allegedly carried her head down the road before leaving it in a neighbour’s front yard
Police on Sunday described the scene as ‘one of the most horrific’ they ever had to face, with officers needing counselling after seeing it.
Ms Camilleri was part of a large family with Maltese heritage and was divorced from Jessica’s father, with whom she had two daughters.
Ms Day, who met Ms Camilleri two years ago through their mutual love of the Bay City Rollers boy band, said her death was devastating.
‘I had a bad feeling, Rita always texts me,’ she told Daily Mail Australia.
‘To add to the sadness, Rita was looking after her bedridden frail mother too… this is just horrific.
‘She was fun, irreverent and vibrant. She loved music and was very community minded. She connected with everyone because she was lovely.’
Another neighbour said the mother and daughter ‘seemed normal’ but there were some incidents in the past.
‘They always seemed to have parties, all the time just parties over there, I never heard anything like screaming of shouting,’ they said.
‘There had been some issues in the past that had made [Jessica] known to the cops and other groups, but it seems it has gone much further this time.’
Jessica’s manager at Kmart in Mount Druitt said she had not turned up for her cashier job for about a week. Some other staff said they didn’t know who she was.
Officers arrived at Ms Camilleri’s home after neighbours heard a ‘violent argument’ in the kitchen between the two women.
Blood on the pavement down the street from the Camilleri house where Jessica allegedly carried her mother’s head
Neighbours ran to help as the sounds of the argument grew more violent, before encountering the severed head on the lawn
Officers arrived at Ms Camilleri’s home after neighbours heard a ‘violent argument’ in the kitchen between the two women
Neighbours ran to help as the sounds of the argument grew more violent, before encountering the severed head on the lawn.
The daughter was arrested in the front yard of a neighbour’s house and taken to St Mary’s Police Station, and was later charged with murder.
‘This is up there with one of the most significant, most horrific scenes police have had to face,’ Detective Inspector Brett McFadden told reporters.
‘There is no stepping away from the fact that this was horrific and a significant attack, and the injuries that the victim suffered were extensive.
‘It is a very difficult, challenging, confronting investigation.
‘We are working with the information available to us and working with the family to establish exactly what has happened, but this is not anything that was foreseeable.’
Multiple knives were seized at the scene and are being forensically examined.
Ms Camilleri is believed to have been babysitting a four-year-old grandson on Saturday night.
He is not the accused woman’s son.
The little boy sustained a minor head injury and was taken to Westmead Children’s Hospital but has since been released.
‘He is being cared for by his family and getting medical support during the course of the day. The family is distraught as to what has taken place,’ Inspector McFadden said.
Officers have been interviewing neighbours and investigating the circumstances of the overnight incident.