Ricardo Barbaro sentenced to 28 years’ jail for vicious murder of Ellie Price

Ellie Price’s devastated mother says the life of her killer, Ricardo Barbaro, “should be taken away as well” after he was jailed for at least two decades for her “cruel, vicious and entirely merciless” murder.

The devastated mother of murder victim Ellie Price says the life of convicted killer Ricardo Barbaro “should be taken away as well” after the man from a notorious crime family was jailed for at least 22 years.

Barbaro will be 55-years-old when he’s eligible for parole over the “cruel, vicious and entirely merciless” stabbing murder of Ms Price, 26.

Her mother Tracey Gangell spoke outside the Supreme Court on Friday after he was jailed for a maximum of 28 years.

“I just think a life for a life, if he can take life away from someone, his life should be taken away as well ... he’s still breathing, he can see his family, I don’t get to see my daughter anymore,” Ms Gangell said.

“I don’t think it’s enough, it’s not enough, he can still get out and have a life when he does get out, he’s going to be old enough to have a life, my daughter’s life’s gone.”

In a message to her daughter’s killer, Ms Gangell asked, “why?”

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

Ricardo Barbaro arrives for sentencing after being found guilty of the murder of Ellie Price in 2020. Picture: Luis Enrique Ascui

Barbaro, 38, was found guilty by a jury of stabbing Ms Price six times and slashing her throat in an attack that would have taken her tens of minutes to die from, on 29 April 2020.

In sentencing on Friday, Supreme Court Justice Stephen Kaye said the jury had dismissed Barbaro’s bid to blame the young mother’s murder on brothel tycoon Mark Gray, a friend that financially supported the exotic dancer.

Slain mum Ellie Price with her son, Mostafa. Picture: Supplied

Despite the jury’s guilty verdict, Barbaro — from the infamous mafia-linked crime family — maintains his innocence, also claiming he was asleep the morning of the murder and had awakened to someone “attacking” him.

Justice Kaye told Barbaro “you are the only person who knows what occured on that fateful morning”, but found that he’d wielded a knife in a “burst of anger” and repeatedly slashed at a “totally overwhelmed and helpless” Ms Price.

His Honour said she “must have been absolutely terrified” during the “violent, one-sided attack ... (where she was) unable to do more than scratch you with her fingernails”.

Ellie Price’s mum, Tracey Gangell, arrives the Supreme Court. Picture: Luis Enrique Ascui

Barbaro was supported in court by his father, Giuseppe “Joe” Barbaro, brother Harley Barbaro and a group of mates, one of whom was stopped by security from shaking the murderer’s hand as he was led back into the cells.

As he walked past the media box, the convicted woman killer lashed out at a female journalist who had reported a disturbing claim about him weeks earlier.

The 7 News report alleged that Barbaro had been able to keep naked post-mortem photos of Ms Price, which were part of the brief of evidence against him.

The report stated prison guards had raised concerns about Barbaro performing lewd acts in his cell.

But defence barrister Rishi Nathwani SC told Justice Kaye the story wasn’t true, with His Honour calling for the record to be corrected in any future reports.

As Barbaro walked past the media box in court 4, he directed a spray at the journalist who was seated in the second row.

“F--k you, Cassie Zervos, you dumb dog,” he said.

It’s understood 7 News stands by its report.

Meanwhile, after the murder, Joe Barbaro had helped his son dump Ms Price’s Mercedes Benz in Diggers Rest after her murder, which he had driven from the crime scene as she lay dead on her South Melbourne bedroom floor.

Barbaro had claimed he was asleep the morning of the murder and had awakened to someone ‘attacking’ him.

Barbaro then went on the lam in NSW and was arrested a week later, found to be covered in scratches.

He’s been on remand ever since, where he’d been involved in multiple prison fights, one where he dislocated his shoulder that needed surgery.

The Supreme Court earlier heard Ms Price’s murder came amid a campaign of horror family violence, where Barbaro was released from jail for threatening to kill her just a month before her death.

Barbaro had pleaded guilty in February 2020 for driving a car at Ms Price and members of the public who rushed to her aid after a boozy winery tour the couple went on.

Mr Gray also gave evidence at trial of seeing a bruise on Ms Price’s neck in the days before she died, which she said was inflicted in a strangulation by her ex-boyfriend, ‘Ricardo’.

In tragic victim impact statements, Ms Price’s young son Mossie — who was four when she was murdered — said he still has visions of his mother, cries himself to sleep at night and lies on her grave to be close to her.

“Mum is sitting on the couch, can you see her?” he asked once at his grandmother’s house.

He’s also asked loved ones if “we could dig her up and bring her back because he misses her so much”.

Justice Kaye said Ms Price would “never experience the joys of watching her son grow up” and that Barbaro’s crime had “deprived her of her most basic right of right to life”.

Joe Barbaro had helped his son dump Ms Price’s Mercedes Benz in Diggers Rest after her murder. Picture: Luis Enrique Ascui

The killer — a father of four — had been diagnosed with PTSD after an extensive “trauma history” where a “significant” number of his family members had died from murder and suicide.

There had also been repeated attempts on his own life in shootings and stabbings, including on one occasion when he was stabbed outside Ms Price’s home.

Barbaro’s brother was murdered in a Sydney gangland hit in 2016, while his other brother had taken his own life.

Another relative, Pasquale Barbaro was shot dead during Melbourne’s gangland wars.

He had been sitting in a car with Jason Moran and Moran’s kids at a children’s football game at an Essendon oval in 2003.

The court heard Barbaro had once tried for a career in the air force, but was refused because of his family’s criminal history and connections.

Barbaro, who now works in the prison laundry, will be eligible for parole in 2042.

He had faced a maximum of life behind bars.