Accused killer Ricardo Barbaro in separate incident months earlier with Ellie Price

Ricardo Barbaro allegedly lashed out at his girlfriend, Ellie Price, before she was murdered, smashing her car after a dramatic tiff.

A man accused of stabbing his girlfriend to death had come to the attention of police for lashing out at her in her car just months before, a court has heard.

Ricardo Barbaro, 34, is on remand charged with murdering 26-year-old mum Ellie Price at her South Melbourne home on April 29 last year.

He plans to contest the killing at a three-day hearing in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court in May.

But the Herald Sun can reveal Mr Barbaro was listed to appear at the same court on Tuesday, charged with a separate offence: one count of intentionally damaging property.

Magistrate Luisa Bazzani said the charge related to an incident involving Ms Price on November 1, 2019.

“The accused and his then partner, Ms Price, were in her vehicle, and the accused damaged her vehicle by hitting out around the vehicle,” Ms Bazzani said.

“Diversion was considered because at that point in time Mr Barbaro had no prior history.”

Ellie Price with her son, Mostafa.

Ricardo Barbaro has been charged with murder.

She said court documents indicated Ms Price was supportive of the diversion, which was to include Mr Barbaro paying her restitution for the damage.

“And then tragically this woman’s died, allegedly at the hands of Mr Barbaro,” Ms Bazzani said.

A police summary released from the court alleged the couple had been out at dinner in Clarendon St, South Melbourne, when “an argument ensued” on the drive home.

“As they continued arguing, the accused began punching the inside of the victim’s vehicle,” the summary alleged.

“The accused punched the windscreen, glass dashboard, and passenger side mirror (through the open window), damaging each of them.”

Ms Price later told police she had to stop multiple times on the way home.

She stated the pair had only known each other a month and had been in a relationship for about a week.

Mr Barbaro, who did not appear for Tuesday’s hearing, was arrested in Sydney and extradited to Victoria about a week after police found the beauty diploma student’s body at her apartment on May 4.

Ms Price was found murdered in her South Melbourne apartment.

The slain mum was stabbed to death.

Her Tasmanian-based mother, Tracey Gangell, raised the alarm and asked them to do a welfare check on her daughter as she could not reach her.

An earlier court heard how CCTV captured Mr Barbaro leaving Ms Price’s apartment about 4.30am on April 29.

Police allege he killed her before fleeing to New South Wales.

But his lawyer Mark Gumbleton told the court in October a “central issue” in the case was who actually killed Ms Price, suggesting another man had a motive to murder her.

Mr Gumbleton said Mr Barbaro claims his girlfriend was alive when he left her apartment.

An autopsy report found she had suffered multiple stab wounds to her back and neck.

Mr Gumbleton said there was evidence Ms Price had threatened a 57-year-old accountant friend that she would go to the police to say he raped her if he didn’t give her $25,000.

“This is a woman who had mental health issues, abused illicit substances, was a loner, and was also erratic in her behaviour,” Mr Gumbleton said.

Mr Barbaro will next appear in court on March 18.

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