Devastated colleagues stunned at death of ‘beautiful soul’

Devastated friends and colleagues have paid tribute to mother of three Katie Perinovic, after she was found dead with her children in her Tullamarine home.

Friends of a “beautiful” family found dead in their suburban home were last night reeling at the shock news.

Neighbour and family friend Marie Groves said she was devastated by the death of Katie Perinovic and her three children Claire, Anna and Matthew.

“She was gorgeous,” Ms Groves said.

“She was lovely. They were a beautiful family.

“She really loved her family and her babies, she was so protective of them.

“I can’t believe it — those babies.”

Ms Groves had developed a close bond with Ms Perinovic as their children grew up together.

She said the last time she had seen Ms Perinovic was ­before Christmas, and ­although she seemed “a bit quieter than usual”, nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

Ms Perinovic was a practising physiotherapist working in Glenroy, while her husband, Tomislav Perinovic, works as a mechanic.

The family have Yugoslavian heritage and it is understood Ms Perinovic’s elderly mother lives in a nearby suburb.

The Herald Sun understands the couple had plans to demolish and rebuild their home, something they were looking forward to as their children grew up.

The Perinovic family. Picture: Facebook

Katie and Tomislav Perinovic. Picture: Facebook

Others described Ms Perinovic as a “doting” and “nurturing” young mother whose deep love for her children was evident.

She would often attend her local library and was known to proudly read and sing songs with her children.

On Thursday library staff were shedding tears and poring over photos taken of the family.

“She was a stunning woman inside and out,” a library staffer, who wished to remain anonymous, said.

“She sang songs to her children, she was a beautiful soul. We are just devastated.”

Dawson Street Milkbar owner Faye Ali said Ms Perinovic was a regular customer who often came in and treated her children to sweets.

“She loved her kids a lot,” Ms Ali said.

“She often came in to buy them ice cream or other treats. She never said no.

“She’d always be pushing the pram, she was very fit.

“He came in sometimes, too. Nothing seemed unusual. He seemed like a nice guy.

“We’re devastated.”

It is understood neighbours had filed police reports relating to the tragedy.

Sources who had witnessed Mr Perinovic’s movements said he appeared “extremely distressed” outside his home when emergency services ­arrived.

The Perinovic family. Picture: Facebook

Neighbour John Constantino said he had spoken with Ms Perinovic on Wednesday night, less than 15 hours before the tragedy unfolded.

His house, just doors down from the Perinovics’, formed part of the police cordon on Thursday.

“She was a really nice lady,” Mr Constantino said.

“It is really sad.

“She was polite. She was ­really friendly.

“The kids were always dressed nice.

“No one around here would say a bad thing about her.”

He said she was a doting mother of three who was always taking her children for bike rides and to buy ice cream.

Aerial footage of the home showed children’s bikes and toys in the backyard, a sad reminder of the devastating loss.

Neighbours said that during Melbourne’s coronavirus lockdown the home’s front window was adorned with colourful drawings of rainbows.

Tomislav and Katie Perinovic. Picture: Facebook

Former colleagues of Ms Perinovic, also known as Ms Blazevic, were devastated to learn the news of her death.

Staff at the Glenroy Physiotherapy clinic where she worked for several years said she was a “lovely, lovely woman”.

It is understood the physiotherapist and Feldenkrais practitioner left the clinic ­unexpectedly about three months ago.

The Herald Sun was told she may have been suffering from depression.

According to the clinic’s website, the Tullamarine mother had been working at the clinic for seven years after graduating from the University of Melbourne in 1999.

“Her passion is to promote/­empower people to be active in their own health,” the website reads.

Friend and neighbour Marie Groves is comforted by her partner. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Sarah Matray

The clinic is a 10-minute drive from the home where Thursday’s tragedy unfolded.

Neighbours milled around in the street during the day, many looking on in pure disbelief at the suburban tragedy.

They shared anecdotes of the quiet area that rarely had any trouble or crime.

Neighbour Ken, who had lived in the area for 40 years, said the pocket of Tullamarine was “forgotten”.

“We’ve never seen anything like this here,” he said.

“It is just tragic. We can’t believe this has happened in our neck of the woods.”