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Borce Ristevski’s twisted plan to be buried with wife he killed

Karen Ristevski’s remorseless killer husband Borce Ristevski hatched a cruel plan to be buried in her grave, buying a double headstone with one side left blank to carry his name.

Borce Ristevski confesses to killing wife

Karen Ristevski’s remorseless killer husband Borce Ristevski hatched a cruel plan to be buried in her grave, buying a double headstone with one side left blank to carry his name.

In a final insult to the woman he killed, Ristevski used his wife’s death in a cunning attempt to lead police away from him as her killer.

Ristevski, 54, who finally confessed to manslaughter, has the right to be buried with her in a heartless ploy to show his love for her when he was the one responsible for her death.

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He had buried her body in a shallow grave in Macedon Regional Park lying to police and his wife’s family.

The cruellest and calculating of killers had cynically carried his wife’s coffin as pallbearer as part of his plan to evade being charged for her murder.

Ristevski had the date of the headstone read “February 20, 2017”, the date her skeletal remains were found.

Karen Ristevski's grave at Williamstown Cemetery.
Karen Ristevski's grave at Williamstown Cemetery.
The double headstone was left blank on one side to carry Borce’s name.
The double headstone was left blank on one side to carry Borce’s name.

It was eight months after the 47-year-old mother disappeared from the couple’s home in Avondale Heights.

Police have always maintained Ms Ristevski died on the day she vanished.

A spokesman for The Greater Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust confirmed to the Herald Sun last week that Ristevski was the right of interment holder and purchased a two-person burial plot one week later.

The cemetery official confirmed Ristevski was the right of interment holder for the two-person plot at Williamstown Cemetery.

Cemetery officials said it is normal practice for the right of interment holder, usually the spouse, to later be buried with the deceased if a two-plot grave site is purchased.

“The plot was purchased on February 28, 2017, in the week prior to Karen’s interment service on March 6, 2017,” the spokesman said.

Karen Ristevski with her husband Borce Ristevski and daughter Sarah.
Karen Ristevski with her husband Borce Ristevski and daughter Sarah.

“It is a two-person burial plot but of course no intent is clear in that regard.”

Another final insult saw Ristevski organise for the headstone’s epitaph inscription to first describe Ms Ristevski as a “devoted wife.”

Stonemasons Y&M Monumental Masons last Thursday confirmed they built the headstone following the request of the right of interment holder.

“In loving memory of Karen Ristevski — devoted wife, mother, and friend,” the headstone reads.

“You touched our lives with your love, laughter, warmth and grace. Your memory will be eternal. Dearly loved, never forgotten and forever in our hearts.”

Cemeteries officials said the it was a “tragic situation” and “unique circumstances” and they hoped to work with the Ristevski family and the Department of Health to have the headstone and right of interment changed, if requested.

The cruellest and calculating of killers had cynically carried his wife’s coffin as pallbearer as part of his plan to evade being charged for her murder.
The cruellest and calculating of killers had cynically carried his wife’s coffin as pallbearer as part of his plan to evade being charged for her murder.

The Herald Sun has spoken to the Ristevski family, who are aware of the situation.

Borce Ristevski pleaded guilty to manslaughter over the death of his wife, a day before a Supreme Court jury was expected to be empanelled for his murder trial.

The defence argued that Ms Ristevski’s death was not murder, but a spontaneous killing.

Eight months later, her body was discovered in bushland near Mount Macedon, northwest of Melbourne.

When his wife vanished, Ristevski told police she had gone for a walk to clear her mind after an argument about money, and that she never returned.

Ristevski will appear at a pre-sentence hearing tomorrow.

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Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/truecrimeaustralia/borce-ristevskis-twisted-plan-to-buried-with-wife-he-killed/news-story/90395d70a8fef3fd0e655e79ff6007a8