Karen Ristevski’s close friend does not believe she would run away
A FRIEND of missing Melbourne woman Karen Ristevski reveals her state of mind just before she vanished — but she says she wouldn’t have run away.
A CLOSE friend of missing Melbourne woman Karen Ristevski doesn’t believe she would have run away — and can’t understand why anyone would harm such a “kind, gentle soul”.
Ms Ristevski hasn’t been seen in more than six weeks after she apparently left her Avondale Heights home after an argument with her husband Borce Ristevski over money.
Since then, speculation has grown about where the 47-year-old could be, and who could be to blame. One of the leads being investigated by police is speculation Ms Ristevski may have run away from home.
But someone who has known Ms Ristevski for many years told news.com.au she didn’t believe Ms Ristevski was hiding away.
“No, she wouldn’t do that. She wouldn’t do it to her daughter, number one,” she said.
The friend, who asked not to be named, was asked by Ms Ristevski’s daughter Sarah, 21, if she’d seen her. Straight away, the alarm bells rang.
Ms Ristevski has been missing since June 29, when her husband says she left their home to clear her head after an argument about money.
“Her daughter was her life. Even if she went to clear her head and she didn’t return right then, I guarantee she would have made a phone call to her daughter to say, ‘I’m going to be away for a night or two’.”
That didn’t happen.
“When her daughter asked me to let her know if I heard from her because she ‘didn’t come home yesterday’, I thought maybe she is cooling down. But then I really thought about it and knew she would have made contact,” the friend told news.com.au.
She tried not to think about what could have happened.
“She’s a really gentle soul, she’s never annoyed anyone from my knowledge … She’s so happy-go-lucky and wouldn’t hurt anyone.”
The idea a random stranger could have harmed her was horrifying.
“I just think … She was that sort of person, that nice, kind, loving … If it was random it would be horrific.”
Ms Ristevski’s inner circle has tried to keep to themselves as the case exploded daily in the media and speculation, accusations and gossip boiled over in social media.
However, the friend told news.com.au the gossip had been hurtful.
“That’s the thing that really distresses me. It’s like a nightmare … Or a book you can’t put down.”
She last saw her long-time friend a few weeks before she disappeared. They met for a regular catch-up, and there was no hint whatsoever of the calamity that was coming.
“Everything was normal, there was nothing out of the ordinary at all, that made me think, what’s going on here?”
She’d heard the stories about the financial issues Ms Ristevski had but didn’t think she appeared troubled by it.
“She never seemed stressed about money in my eyes anyway.”
There has been speculation too about the state of her marriage.
“I didn’t get that from her — she never complained about (her husband) at all, or said anything bad.”
Even the presence of Ms Ristevski’s stepson Anthony Rickard, who has admitted battling ice addiction, wasn’t something the two friends discussed.
“I was aware he (Mr Rickard) had issues. But I don’t want to pass judgment, I don’t even know him.”
In an interview with the Herald Sun, Mr Rickard claimed he had a disagreement with Ms Ristevski, which had been “swept under the carpet”. He also onfirmed he had battled ice addition and spoke of making a confronting call to her about 10 days before she vanished.
“It was a shock that she disappeared after my phone call to her. I had nothing to do with that besides calling her to confront her — the next thing I know she’s gone,” he told the Herald Sun.
“Then I felt the guilt that it was because of me, ringing up to confront her.”
Extensive searches have failed to find any trace of her, and police said no independent witnesses had come forward to say they saw her walking on the day she was said to have left home.
Mr Ristevski has not spoken publicly about his wife since an initial media conference.
Both Mr Ristevski and his son have been questioned by police and released.
News.com.au does not suggest Mr Ristevski or Mr Rickard had anything to do with Ms Ristevski’s disappearance.
A relative of Ms Ristevski told her the family was diverting calls and avoiding social media because the pressure was taking its toll.
Ms Ristevski’s friends have their phones on and with them 24/7, hoping there will be news.
“We have the phones by our side and hope for something — and then wake up with nothing,” she said.
They were left waiting for “a miracle”.
“It’s not looking good. You can hope for a miracle, but six weeks is a long time.”
andrew.koubaridis@news.com.au
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