Ricardo Barbaro learns fate for slaying young mum Ellie Price in early-morning frenzied attack

A killer boyfriend has been slammed for the “cruel, vicious and entirely merciless” slaying of his girlfriend of six months.

A killer boyfriend has been slammed for showing no remorse for his “senseless and cruel crime” as he learnt his fate for the brutal slaying of his stripper girlfriend.

Ricardo Barbaro, 38, returned before the Victorian Supreme Court on Friday morning as he was jailed for 28 years over the murder of his girlfriend Ellie Price in April 2020.

Wearing all black, he greeted his brother Harley Barbaro with a grin and a wave from the dock – the pair were prevented from touching by court security.

Ricardo Barbaro’s DNA was found under Ellie Price’s fingernails. Picture: Supplied

Ms Price, 26, laid dead in the blood-soaked bedroom of her South Melbourne apartment for five days until she was discovered by police in a welfare check initiated by her concerned mum Tracey Gangell.

She had suffered six stab wounds, three of which could have been fatal, including the slashing of her throat.

Barbaro was captured on CCTV leaving Ms Price’s apartment in her Mercedes in the early morning of April 29 never to return.

He was arrested in NSW after fleeing Victoria, receiving a lift from his father Giuseppe “Joe” Barbaro after dumping the vehicle at a Diggers Rest property.

Barbaro was found guilty of murder. Picture: NewsWire / Diego Fedele

Three scratches on Barbaro’s arms, Justice Kaye said, were consistent with being scratched by Ms Price as “she attempted to defend her self against your violent attack”.

Barbaro was found guilty at his third jury trial in September last year after the first was aborted due to juror misconduct and the second thrown out so his defence could review new evidence.

A member of a prominent gangland family, the court was told Barbaro suffered from complex PSTD after a chaotic upbringing and living through members of his family being murdered.

Barbaro’s father Joe Barbaro was present in court. Picture: NewsWire / Luis Enrique Ascui

Four attempts had been made on his own life between 2016 and 2019, Justice Kaye said.

Justice Kaye told the court Barbaro and Ms Price had begun dating in October 2019, with their short relationship “volatile” and marred by violence.

Earlier incidents of violence, the judge said, provided evidence the “grave acts of violence” on April 29 did not occur out of the blue.

“You are the only person who knows precisely what occurred,” Justice Kaye said.

“You brutally stabbed and murdered your vulnerable partner ... All of those facts speak to nothing more than a total loss of self control.

“Your murderous attack was cruel, viscous and entirely merciless.”

Ms Price was a young mum from Tasmania. Picture: Supplied

The court was told Barbaro had given a psychiatrist an account of waking up to being attacked and fighting for his life, but Justice Kaye found this was entirely unsupported by the evidence.

Ms Price was described as a loving and caring mother to her four-year-old son who lived life to the fullest.

“Her family will be forever blighted by the terrible tragedy you have inflicted on them,” Justice Kaye said. 

As details of the violent attack were read to the court, Barbaro showed little emotion and closed his eyes at times, scratching his beard and shifting in his seat.

Ms Price’s mother, Tracey Gangell (left) and sister Danielle Price (right) were present in court with supporters. Picture: NewsWire / Luis Enrique Ascui

Much of the trial was centred on a friend of Ms Price, brothel owner Mark Gray – who Barbaro’s barrister Rishi Nathwani SC had framed as an alternative suspect that police had failed to investigate.

Prosecutors, on the other hand, argued Mr Gray was a hapless romantic who was in denial about being Ms Price’s sugar daddy.

Damien Hannan, for the crown, labelled the alternative hypothesis “ridiculous” and a distraction, urging the jury to focus on the evidence.

“He was being exploited. He was terribly generous – too generous really,” he said.

Mark Gray was friends with Ms Price and financially supported her. Picture: NewsWire

Mr Gray, who gave evidence over four days, repeatedly denied he was responsible and was not charged in relation to Ms Price’s death.

Shortly before Barbaro was led from the court, Mr Nathwani raised a news report he labelled as “salacious” which claimed prison sources had reported Barbaro performing “lewd” acts with images of Ms Price.

Mr Nathwani said the report had upset Barbaro and was not true, presenting a letter from a Corrections Victoria assistant commissioner which stated there was no knowledge of any internal reports.

As Barbaro was led from the dock he turned to the reporter and said; “f--k you, you dumb dog”.

Ms Price’s mother, Tracey Gangell, said she believed no sentence would be enough. Picture: NewsWire / Luis Enrique Ascui

Outside of court, Ms Price’s mother, Tracey Gangell, fought through tears to say she’d been left distressed, hurt and broken by her daughter’s murder.

“No matter how long he gets it’s not long enough because my daughter’s life has been taken,” she said.

I just think a life for a life; if he’s taken a life away from someone, his life should be taken away as well.

He’s still breathing, he still gets to see his family. I don’t get to see my daughter anymore.

“Just why, why, why couldn’t he just walk away; why can’t anyone just walk away?”

Ms Gangell said she didn’t believe the sentence was enough because Barbaro would still have a life once freed.

“Justice for Ellie and for Ellie’s boy,” her grandmother, Sherry Bradford, said.

Barbaro will be eligible for parole in mid 2042 after serving 22 years.

Sherry Bradford, the grandmother of Ellie Price, holds a photo outside the Supreme Court of Victoria. Picture: NewsWire / Luis Enrique Ascui

Originally published as Ricardo Barbaro learns fate for slaying young mum Ellie Price in early-morning frenzied attack