Tradie arrested over the alleged murder of Dannielle Finlay-Jones after 12-hour clifftop stand-off

A 12-hour clifftop stand-off has ended in the arrest of Ashley Gaddie, who was wanted over the alleged murder of Sydney teacher Dannielle Finlay-Jones.

A tradie wanted over the murder of a teacher in Sydney has been arrested after a 12-hour clifftop stand-off with police.

Ashley Gaddie, 33, was arrested in the early hours of Wednesday morning and will soon be charged with murdering 31-year-old teacher Dannielle Finlay-Jones.

Cops cornered Gaddie at Fletcher’s Lookout, not far from Wentworth Falls in the Blue Mountains on Tuesday afternoon as seen in this photograph captured by the Daily Telegraph below.

In a strange coincidence, it was only a short walk from where he posted a picture on Tinder years ago. He had been standing on the wrong side of safety barriers at the cliff’s edge.

A 12-hour clifftop stand-off ended in the arrest of Ashley Gaddie, who was wanted over the alleged murder of Sydney teacher Dannielle Finlay-Jones. Picture: Daily Telegraph

Ashley Gaddie was located at Fletcher’s Lookout near Wentworth Falls. Picture: 7 News

Ashley Gaddie posted a picture on Tinder showing him at Wentworth Falls years ago — not far from where he was arrested. Picture: TInder

“Police negotiators attended and engaged the man in conversation before he was arrested about 12am [on Wednesday],” a statement from NSW Police said.

“The 33-year-old man is expected to undergo assessment before being taken to Katoomba Police Station, where he will be charged with murder.”

The dramatic stand-off came after Ms Finlay-Jones was found dead with brutal head injuries at her friend’s home in Cranebrook, in Sydney’s west.

Teacher Dannielle Finlay-Jones, 31. Picture: NSW Police

Ashley Gaddie. Picture: NSW Police

Ms Finlay-Jones reportedly spent Saturday night introducing her new lover to friends at Marsden Brewhouse in Sydney’s west.

The pair returned to her friend’s nearby Cranebrook home in the early hours of Sunday.

Her friends, who thought the couple were enjoying a sleep in, only discovered she had been laying in bed alone with horrific head injuries when they checked in on her at 2.30pm.

They sounded the alarm and emergency services rushed to the scene, however the 31-year-old could not be revived. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Gaddie was found in the Blue Mountains on Tuesday afternoon.

A NSW Police spokesman told news.com.au on Tuesday afternoon that there was a police operation underway but would not provide further details.

Ashley Geddie's Tinder profile

Gaddie’s former Tinder flame Karla Tauro told the Daily Telegraph that she was in touch with him on Saturday night as she tried to arrange to collect her belongings from his house.

Their whirlwind fling ended after a matter of weeks earlier this month.

“I was the last person this guy had been in contact with,” Ms Tauro, 25, said.

She realised the severity of what had happened when she knocked on his door to collect her things, only to be met by the NSW Police homicide squad.

“My face just dropped. My stomach completely sank and dropped, I was in shock – I was scared, and my anxiety levels rose,” she said.

Specialist police were seen checking a window at the house for prints on Sunday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Swift

Ms Finlay-Jones was well-regarded in the soccer community after encouraging dozens of women to take up the sport.

She helped at Ramsgate RSL Football Club at Ramsgate Beach, in South Sydney, where she had been part of the club for 25 years.

She also worked for the NSW Department of Education as its Director of Female Football.

“Some 25 years ago, when I started out at Ramsgate RSL Football Club, as a female footballer, we didn’t have female-only teams so I was playing with the boys up until I was 12-years-old,’ she said in a speech last year.

“Fast-forward to today and we have fielded female-only teams from under six all the way through to all-aged women. What an achievement.

“We continue to make strides within the community and push forward to promote female footballers. Go the girls.”

The beloved teacher’s friends thought she was sleeping in, and only discovered she was unconscious after checking on her at 2.30pm. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Swift

Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online.

Officers from Nepean Police Area Command established a crime scene and an investigation with the assistance of the State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad.

Almost a dozen officers and emergency personnel were at the site on Sunday evening.

– With NCA NewsWire