Everything we know about real estate worker Julie Seed’s Plympton alleged murder
South Australia is in a state of shock after the brutal alleged murder of a mother-of-two in a random daylight stabbing. Here’s what we know.
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South Australia is reeling from yet another senseless alleged murder in the lead-up to the festive season after a woman was stabbed to death in a Plympton office on Wednesday.
The woman, allegedly murdered by a man in a random daylight attack, has been identified as 38-year-old property manager and mother of two daughters Julie Seed.
Another woman, Susan Scardajno, 50, from Henley Beach, was rushed to the RAH with serious injuries – she is in a critical but stable condition.
A 30-year-old man, identified asShaun Michaels Dunk,was arrested at the scene and has been charged with one count of murder and one count of attempt murder.
Mr Dunk will face the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Thursday.
It comes days after top Adelaide pediatrician Dr Michael Yung died after allegedly being brutally attacked in a violent break-in at his Gilberton home on Monday, December 11.
Here’s what we know about how Wednesday’s horrific events unfolded:
Who is Julie Seed?
Julie ‘Julez’ Seed, 38, of Morphett Vale, was a property manager for REAL Estate Agents Group Adelaide and a mother of two children.
According to a social media post, Ms Seed had worked as a cleaner for 10 years before becoming a property manager.
She had posted cleaning tips on the REAL Estate Agents Group Facebook account.
Tributes immediately began rolling in for Ms Seed.
Heartbroken fiance Chris Smith paid tribute on Thursday, remembering Julie as a “beautiful, caring and heartwarming soul”.
Mr Smith told 7NEWS his fiance “lit up a room wherever she went”.
“We are all devastated and distraught by the actions of someone that the health system has obviously failed,” he said.
“Forever in our hearts.
“RIP Julez.
“Love you forever, Chris and your beautiful girls.”
Friend Cathy Black tearfully recalled Julie’s beautiful smile and soul as she placed flowers at the scene of the incident on Thursday.
In laying her tribute, Ms Black recalled Ms Seed as a beautiful mother who had “just found everything that she always wanted”.
“She was a beautiful, beautiful soul,” Ms Black said.
“Beautiful mum to beautiful girls.
“She’s got a beautiful family, fiance, beautiful home – just got her dream job, then this happens.”
Ms Black said Ms Seed’s eldest daughter had recently turned 18, describing her as a beautiful mother.
“She will be very sadly missed, she touched many people’s hearts,” she said.
“That smile, that soul.
“Her love of cows, we will always remember that.
“Beautiful girl, Julez. Rest in peace.
“ … it’s not fair.
“It doesn’t seem real at the moment.”
What happened?
At 3.45pm on Wednesday, emergency services were called to Lydia St, in Plympton, after reports two people had been stabbed inside a real estate business.
Ms Seed died at the scene, while her colleague Ms Scardajno was rushed to the RAH with serious injuries.
She is now in a critical but stable condition.
A knife and a small hammer were seized from the scene, police say.
It is believed the suspect went to the premises on foot and may have been walking along Anzac Highway and surrounding areas before the incident.
Man charged with murder
Mr Dunk was arrested at the scene and has been charged with one count of murder and one count of attempt murder.
It can also be revealed Mr Dunk was released from hospital two days earlier despite warning police two weeks before that he feared he could hurt someone.
Dunk spent Tuesday night at the Urgent Mental Health Care Centre on Grenfell St in the Adelaide CBD before being cleared to leave just hours before he allegedly murdered Ms Seed inside her Plympton workplace.
The health department confirmed on Wednesday that Mr Dunk had been on an inpatient treatment order, and was released from their care on December 18 – a treatment order authorises the provision of compulsory mental health treatment.
The SA Health review
Health Minister Chris Picton has refused to concede the health system failed by releasing Mr Dunk from hospital in the days before Wednesday’s fatal stabbing – insisting it will be for an independent review to decide.
However, Mr Picton said Dr Sophie Davison – chief medical officer for mental health in Western Australia – was appointed on Thursday to conduct a full review into the health system’s involvement in the case.
While it is understood the circumstances around Mr Dunk’s release from the Urgent Mental Health Care Centre on Grenfell St will form part of the SA chief psychiatrist’s investigation into the circumstances leading up to Ms Seed’s death.
The police investigation
In a press conference on Wednesday night, Detective Chief Inspector Kieran Baggoley confirmed Mr Dunk was known to police and investigators were working through his history.
He would not be drawn on specifics of those inquiries, instead saying the focus was on the “welfare of the victims”.
“He was not on bail for any other offences,” Inspector Baggoley said.
Police will allege Mr Dunk murdered one woman and critically injured another after an altercation at a real estate firm west of the CBD.
More tributes for Julie
Sarah Wilkes, who works in the real estate industry, delivered flowers to the Lydia St office.
“We just wish our condolences to the real estate company on behalf of us at Rental Property Network and to her family also,” Ms Wilkes said.
“My workplace is pretty safe and what not but it just makes you open your eyes to what’s around.
“You can’t always trust your surroundings, can you?”
Badcoe MP Jayne Stinson, whose electorate office is nearby on Anzac Highway, also laid flowers at the estate agent office on Thursday.
“This is a really horrible and shocking thing that has happened and I think everyone in our area is still processing that this has happened in our community,” she said.
“It’s usually a really safe place.
“When I heard about it, obviously my first thoughts went to my staff because my office is only metres away.”
Ms Stinson said the real estate was a “great local business” and her thoughts were with Ms Seed’s families, friends and co-workers, and the alleged murderer’s family.
“I’m still digesting it and I think a lot of people will be waking up in our area this morning and would have seen The Advertiser’s reports overnight and will be having a hard time coming to terms with the fact this has happened,” she said.
“All our hearts are really heavy.”
‘Watch your back’: Ominous message to Julie
A childhood friend of Ms Seed – Daniel Methofer – struggled through tears to pay tribute to the woman he’d known since school.
Describing Ms Seed as a wonderful mother and a “beautiful kind-hearted person”, Mr Methofer said he got a call from a friend late last night, breaking the news.“She had such a heart of gold,” he said.
“She was a brilliant mother and did not deserve this.”
Mr Methofer said he wanted people to remember Ms Seed’s heart and her values.
“She just never deserved anything like this,” he said.
“The last text message I sent to Julie was that the world is a nasty place and watch your back.
“Because you’ve got to be there for your girls.
“She’ll be missed and she’ll always be in my heart.”
In a chilling and tragic twist, the real estate agency at which Ms Seed worked also randomly shared a post to social media a day before the alleged murder.
It reads in part: “You never know when the sand is going to run out of the hourglass … tomorrow is promised to no one”.
The post appears to have been shared from another account.
Real Estate industry rocked by stabbing
The state’s real estate industry is reeling after the stabbing death of Julie Seed and the hospitalisation of another employee at REAL Estate Agents Group, with the Real Estate Institute of South Australia saying it would contribute to a fundraiser if one was set up.
REISA chief executive Andrea Heading said the incident had shocked the community.
“On behalf of the Real Estate Institute of South Australia (REISA) and all our members, we extend our condolences to Julie’s family, friends, her work colleagues, and clients,” she said.
“Our thoughts and prayers are also with her team member as she recovers.
“We are deeply saddened by this tragic loss and share in the grief of those who knew her.”
Harcourts chief executive officer Rachel Eckey said it was horrific news to hear at Christmas and offered her condolences.
“How terribly sad it is to hear news like this, at what should be a joyful time of year,” she said.
“My thoughts and deepest sympathies are with Julie’s family, friends, and colleagues.”
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