Friends pay tribute to Celeste Manno, 23, killed at home in Mernda

A young woman brutally killed inside her family home in Melbourne is being remembered as a ‘beautiful sweetheart’ with a ‘gentle heart’.

A young woman brutally killed inside her family home in Melbourne is being remembered as a “beautiful sweetheart” with a “gentle heart”.

Friends and colleagues of Celeste Manno, 23, have flooded social media with tributes after she was tragically killed at a house in Mernda in Melbourne’s northern suburbs.

Ms Manno’s body was found inside a property on Umbria Road about 4.10am on Monday.

A 35-year-old man was arrested a short time later and remains in hospital under police guard with non-life-threatening injuries.

Police confirmed the pair were known to each other but it’s not believed they were in a relationship.

Homicide Squad detectives are working to piece together what happened and spent Monday at the family home looking for evidence.

Celeste Manno was killed at her family home in Mernda.

Ms Manno is being remembered as a “beautiful soul”. Picture: Facebook

Photos from the scene show blood stains on a side fence at the property.

Family, friends and neighbours have laid flowers and messages around a tree outside the home to pay tribute to Ms Manno.

“RIP angel. Gone too soon,” one message read.

Colleague Ian Tran said Ms Manno was “a great respected, friendly (and) inspirational work colleague in our workplace at Serco”.

“Celeste was a beautiful, inspiring, friendly person and our thoughts and prayers with her, her family and dearest friends,” he posted on Facebook.

Mourners lay flowers outside the family home. Picture: Jay Town

A former high school classmate said Ms Manno was “such a beautiful girl”.

“She was one of a kind with a gentle heart,” she said.

“The short time I knew her she was so nice. My heart is broken for her and her family, friends at Lalor and out of high school.”

Another mourner wrote: “Rest in paradise beautiful. My condolences to the family and friends.”

“I can’t believe your (sic) gone Celeste Manno, I still can’t process it, heart of absolute gold. My condolences go out to your family, rest in peace,” another said.

Mourners comfort each other after the death of Celeste Manno. Picture: Mark Stewart

Police at the scene of Ms Manno’s death in Umbria Rd, Mernda. Picture: Mark Stewart

Friends also described Ms Manno as the “kindest” and “brightest” person.

“Celeste Manno was the most kindest, brightest, down to earth person, I was lucky to call a friend,” a friend wrote on Facebook.

“She always knew how to light up a room with her bubbly, sweet nature. She was always selfless and always put everyone else first before herself.”

On her Facebook page Ms Manno said she studied criminology and psychology at RMIT University. She also went to Lalor Secondary College.

A distraught woman is comforted by police at the scene in Umbria Rd, Mernda. Picture: Mark Stewart

Police inspect a vehicle outside Mernda Police Station at a second crime scene. Picture: Mark Stewart

Police confirmed on Monday morning a secondary crime scene had been established at the Mernda police station.

CCTV footage captured nearby showed a car believed to have been driven by the killer leaving the street moments before emergency services arrived on Monday morning.

A blue Peugeot 207 was being forensically examined by police outside Mernda police station on Monday.

Police said the exact circumstances surrounding the incident were yet to be determined, and the investigation was continuing.

Charges are yet to be laid.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

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