Colleen Fermanian: Man’s plea to catch ex-wife’s killer as three year Frankston murder mystery grows
Three years ago Frankston mother-of-three Colleen Fermanian died after she was found in her bed suffering from catastrophic head trauma and fractured ribs. Now her ex-husband is speaking out in a bid to catch the killer.
South East
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The ex-husband of a “bubbly and loving” mother believed to have been murdered in her Frankston home three years ago has urged her attacker to come forward and “tell police what happened”.
And Ritchie Fermanian says the brutal death of his ex-wife Colleen could have been prevented if the “crime ridden” public housing block she was living at 11 Daly St was shut down following concerned neighbour’s calls to Victoria Police and Frankston City Council dating back to 2014.
The plea comes after a coronial inquest revealed the 45-year-old died from blunt force trauma to the head three days after she was found unconscious and with blood dripping from her mouth in her bedroom about 5am on March 25, 2017.
No charges have been laid over what Coroner Judge John Cain suspects may be the result of homicide.
The inquest detailed Ms Fermanian’s on again, off again relationship with Daly St tenant Nathan Cross, who she moved in with in 2014 following the divorce of her husband of 10 years due to her alcohol abuse.
The new couple lived in the bungalow at the back of the property with Mr Cross’ two daughters and Ms Fermanian’s three children would visit, however Mr Fermanian had full custody after learning that frequent fights led Ms Fermanian to kick Mr Cross out of their house a number of times.
About 10pm on March 24, Mr Cross’ children found Ms Fermanian asleep after returning home from a school function.
“On arrival (home), they located Ms Fermanian lying on her bed, with her feet hanging off to the side,” the inquest reads.
“ …(the children) were concerned about the way she was snoring and it was clear that she had been drinking …(one child) subsequently contacted Mr Cross and asked him to come home.”
Mr Cross returned home after drinking at a friend’s house and began to film his partner on his mobile phone before continuing to drink wine in the loungeroom.
He took more videos between 11.30pm and 11.50pm but told police it was because Ms Fermanian often referred to him as sounding like a “piggy” when he snored.
At 3.30am on March 25, one Daly St resident told police she heard “crashing, banging and yelling” coming from who she believed to be the pair and continued for an hour.
It was 5am when Mr Cross phoned triple-0, telling police she had been “drinking heavily” before he woke to the sound of his girlfriend gargling red liquid that he thought likely to be red wine on the side of their bed.
Paramedics were forced to call police when he became embroiled in an argument with a resident he asked to move their car to make way for the ambulance.
Ms Fermanian suffered a “non-survivable” brain bleed as well as a number of broken ribs and bruising and was transported to the ICU at Alfred Hospital where she was pronounced brain dead at 1.23pm on March 27.
Doctors said her head injury could have been inflicted within 24 and 48 hours prior to her death.
“Colleen was a loving mother of her three kids — yes, she had a drinking problem that landed her in that house — but nobody deserves to die like she did,” Mr Fermanian said.
“Council and Victoria Police knew that house was dangerous but no one shut it down.”
Mr Cross’ cooperator Richard Caseley hit out at furious residents two weeks after they created a petition to stop suspicious behaviour in the trouble-plagued street in 2014, claiming that they never made a direct complaint.
The partners said they accommodated people in crisis which was an “important community service”.
One month on from Ms Fermanian’s death, the State Government released tough new standards for rooming house operators which forced them to obtain a license and pass a ‘fit and proper person test’, including not being found guilty of a criminal offence over the past decade.
Victoria Police confirmed an investigation into Ms Fermanian’s death was ongoing.
“The Homicide Squad investigation into the death of Colleen Fermanian in Frankston in 2017 remains open,” a spokeswoman told the Leader.
“Any new information received by police will be thoroughly examined.”
Mr Fermanian, who continues to care for his three children with his current partner, believes he knows who is responsible and pleaded for anyone with information to “come forward” give him and Ms Fermanian’s family closure.
“People heard Colleen’s screams … people were there,” he said.
“I’d love for someone to come forward and just tell us what happened.”
Victoria Police urge anyone with information to phone Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report here.
brittany.goldsmith@news.com.au
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