Ricardo Barbaro to front court over murder charges
Ricardo Barbaro will front court today over the death of his girlfriend, young mum Ellie Price. He was arrested in Sydney on Thursday before being a long extradition journey to Melbourne by road.
Police & Courts
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Ricardo Barbaro is set to appear in court in Melbourne today after being charged with murder.
The 33-year-old will face Melbourne Magistrates’ Court in relation to the murder of his girlfriend Ellie Price.
“A 33-year-old Southport man who has been charged with murder and extradited from NSW in relation to the South Melbourne homicide investigation, has been held over to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Saturday,” a statement from Victoria Police confirmed.
It comes as Ms Price’s mother of Ellie Price spoke of the heartwrenching moment her young grandson learned his mum wasn’t coming home.
Tracey Gangell said she was “relieved” by the arrest of Mr Barbaro, with the 33-year-old extradited to Victoria following a week-long search that ended with him being taken into custody in NSW this week.
But Ms Gangell said nothing will bring back her daughter.
Ms Price’s four-year-old son Mostafa only learnt of his mother’s death days ago.
Ms Gangell said he has asked for her every day since they last made contact.
Finally she told him his mum was in heaven and would not be returning.
“He walked up to her photo on the fridge and kissed it and said ‘I love you mum’,” said Ms Gangell.
She told the Herald Sun she plans to fly to Melbourne to see that “justice is served”.
“I am relieved,” she said. “The police have done an amazing job.”
Barbaro was the subject of a nationwide search after his girlfriend Ellie Price was found dead in her South Melbourne apartment 10 days ago.
Barbaro was arrested in the western Sydney suburb of Wentworth Point and was extradited to Victoria.
Due to coronavirus restrictions, he made the nine-hour journey from Sydney by car rather than via air.
Ms Gangell said she has felt “numb” since last Monday when she learnt her daughter had been killed.
Ms Gangell lives in Tasmania but plans to travel to Melbourne to see through any court case.
“We are relieved but this still doesn’t bring her back,” she said.
“I hope justice prevails.”
Shortly before her death Ms Price bought a ragdoll kitten named Boots.
It was inside her South Melbourne apartment at the time of her murder.
Her family is arranging for the kitten to be transported to them on the Spirit of Tasmania.
HOW BARBARO ARREST UNFOLDED
Ricardo Barbaro was a bloody mess by the time he was eventually arrested by tactical police inside a penthouse belonging to a young Sydney woman.
Just before 11pm on Wednesday, the NSW police arrived at a plush new apartment block on Amalfi Dr, Wentworth Point, in Sydney’s northwest.
The armed and heavily clad officers spent a good period trying to coax Barbaro out of a unit, according to neighbour Carmel.
“They said ‘Ricardo, we know you’re in there, you need to come out, I can assure you nothing will happen if you do what we tell you’.
When they eventually beat the door in police found the unit completely empty.
Barbaro was one floor up, in apartment 15121, the home of 27-year-old Crystal Shihada.
A dramatic scuffle allegedly erupted there as police tried to arrest Barbaro, who is believed to have smashed into a mirror and injured his face as he attempted to flee.
The apartment was empty on Thursday but signs of chaos remained inside.
Barbaro’s blood was still smeared on the floor beside soil scattered from a tipped-up pot plant. A candle still burnt and the TV was left on, while cigarettes and a bottle of spirits sat on the kitchen bench.
Barbaro was arrested and taken for treatment before being taken to Burwood Police Station.
It is understood Ms Shihada was not home at the time and there is no suggestion she was involved in any wrongdoing.
Barbaro’s lawyer Campbell MacCallum said his client was “calm” and “relieved the ordeal was over” when the pair spoke.
But he revealed Barbaro was “quite distressed and shaken up” over Ellie Price’s death.
“He seemed quite calm, he seemed relieved the ordeal was over,” Mr MacCallum told the Herald Sun.
“He is obviously quite distressed, (he is) reluctant to talk about Ellie.
“He shies away from talking about her. He is a bit distressed and shaken up over her death. “At this stage we don’t know the circumstances.”
– With Georgia Clark and Nick Hansen
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