More pain ahead for slain Melbourne woman Karen Ristevski’s family

BORCE Ristevski is the chief suspect in the murder of his wife Karen, the Melbourne man’s own lawyer has conceded.

Karen Ristevski’s body has been found in bushland north of Melbourne. Picture: AAP Image/Victoria Police

KAREN Ristevski’s husband Borce is the chief suspect in his wife’s murder, his own lawyer conceded on Wednesday.

The comments from criminal lawyer Rob Stary comes one day after remains found at Mount Macedon was identified as belonging to Ms Ristevski, who disappeared eight months earlier.

The discovery of her body makes her disappearance a murder investigation.

“It’s pretty clear police have him as their number one suspect,” Mr Stary told Fairfax Media. “We’ve been advising him since day one. Obviously his wife has been found and there’s an autopsy report been completed, he wants to see what that could mean.”

Police have not publicly named Mr Ristevski as a suspect in his wife’s death.

Earlier, a close friend of the family’s said the discovery of murdered Karen Ristevski’s body will open up a “can of worms” and is the start of renewed horror for them.

Ms Ristevski’s body was found on Monday wedged between two giant logs in the bush on Mt Macedon, 52km from her suburban Melbourne home.

The badly decomposed remains were found by a passer-by on a dirt track in dense bushland and were confirmed as belonging to the 47-year-old mum yesterday.

But a long-time family friend believes rather than bringing closure, the discovery will bring even more heartache.

“This is really just the start for the family. It’s going to be the worst ride of their lives,” said the friend, who asked not to be identified.

The friend, who has known Ms Ristevski since they were teenagers, had hoped for a “quick arrest” and that for the sake of Ms Ristevski’s daughter Sarah, the killer was not someone known to the family.

The family is already under intense pressure, having been at the centre of one of the most high-profile missing person cases in Australia for the last eight months.

“This won’t go away quickly. It’s just the start; a can of worms has been opened,” the friend said.

There has been a major breakthrough in the case of missing Melbourne mother Karen Ristevski.

The friend said those who knew and loved Ms Ristevski had been bracing themselves for the worst after news broke of the discovery of the body in bushland.

Ms Ristevski’s remains were found about 65km north of Melbourne, close to a site police and the State Emergency Service had searched extensively last year. Police were drawn to that location after mobile phone towers traced “pings” from her mobile phone and that of her husband, Borce Ristevski.

The friend said she didn’t want to speculate on what might have happened.

“It’s not looking good,” she said. “But you just don’t know what’s going on or what is happening behind the scenes.”

The friend said Ms Ristevski’s inner circle was trying to keep “an open mind”.

Mr Ristevski told police his wife went for a walk to “clear her head” after the couple fought over money at their $1.1 million home in Avondale Heights, in Melbourne’s northwest.

She was never seen again.

Ms Ristevski had not confided in her friend about troubles in her life and had not expressed any fears.

“She was one of those happy people, never had a bad word about anyone,” the friend said.

The thought of her dumped in bushland was horrifying.

“Just left there, all through the winter and then the summer, left to deteriorate like an animal. It’s horrible, just horrible,” the friend said.

The badly decomposed body of Karen Ristevski has been found here in the Macedon Regional Park. Picture: Nicole Garmston

She was angry the person who reported a stench in the area had not come forward sooner.

“Why wouldn’t you check it out or call the police? She could have been found much sooner,” she said.

The friend said the family had been caught off guard by the speed of the identification of the body.

Family members told her on Tuesday morning that police had informed them it may take “days” for the body to be identified. But just hours later, Ms Ristevski’s identity was confirmed.

“We were all expecting it. But it’s still a shock when it comes, and it’s the end. It’s terrible,” the friend said.

She would remember Ms Ristevski as “one of those good people you wished you could be”.

Homicide squad detectives were seen entering the Ristevski family home late yesterday as media waited outside.

Police and State Emergency Services crews search for clues near Toolern Vale last year. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

The case has attracted attention not only because of the mystery over what happened to Ms Ristevksi — and who was responsible — but because of startling claims made by some family members.

Her stepson Anthony Rickard — a self-confessed ice user — hinted at family secrets and an unusual relationship with Ms Ristevski, which were quickly dismissed by friends.

Borce Ristevski’s brother Vasko then made the startling claim his sister-in-law could be living in China to escape the mounting debts at her fashion boutique.

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