Family of Gabrielle Marshall set up fundraiser to help 6yo daughter as murder accused faces court

The man accused of murdering a young Queensland mother in a house in Tasmania’s northwest has appeared in court for the first time since being arrested on Tuesday. NAMED >>

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UPDATE, 12.15PM: The man accused of murdering a young Queensland mother in a house in Ulverstone has appeared in court for the first time since being arrested on Tuesday.

Colin William Drake, 35, of Main St, Ulverstone was represented by lawyer Lee Edwards.

He did not enter a plea to the charge of murder nor did he apply for bail.

Drake was remanded in custody to reappear via Zoom on July 15.

EARLIER:

The mother of a young woman killed in Ulverstone this week, who also cares for the six-year-old girl she left behind, has started a fundraiser to help fund the little girl’s ongoing care.

Twenty-three year old Gabbie Marshall died of stab wounds in a house in Main St, Ulverstone on Tuesday morning.

She had only been in Tasmania for three weeks after leaving Queensland looking for a fresh start.

Gabbie Marshall. Photo: Facebook

The man police claim broke into the house and inflicted the fatal wounds is appearing in Devonport Magistrates Court this morning after being charged with murder.

Heidi Marshall has established the Gabbie’s daughter fundraising page and so far over $1000 of the $50,000 target has been donated.

Gabbie was Mrs Marshall’s youngest child.

“She was getting her life in order,” her mother said in a Facebook post.

“She rang her daughter every morning and night, she was in a good place.

“You will be forever loved my sweet girl and missed so much. We will take good care of your daughter. We will bring you home.”

Mrs Marshall said the money raised would go towards raising Gabbie’s daughter who had lost her mother in such tragic circumstances.

Friends and family from Queensland spoke of their disbelief and sadness at what had happened to the young mum from the Brisbane suburb of Redlands.

EARLIER:

A YOUNG Queensland woman’s quest for a new life in Tasmania has ended in tragedy and a local man has been charged with her murder.

The man who lived just 200m from where the 23-year-old woman – who had just moved from the Brisbane suburb of Redlands to live with a friend and her kids in Ulverstone – was found dead on Tuesday morning. The man has been charged with her murder.

Gabbie Marshall was found dead in her friend’s rented home in Main St after police received a frantic call from the address saying someone was in the house.

Gabrielle Marshall, 23, has been killed while staying with a friend after moving to Tasmania. Picture: Supplied.

The 35-year-old man, who cannot be named until he appears in court, was taken into custody just eight hours after that triple-0 call.

He will face court on Thursday morning in Devonport.

A third house in Main St – midway between the property where the woman died and where the man was taken into custody – became a crime scene on Wednesday afternoon with police taping off the property and searching garden beds.

In what at this stage appears to be a random attack, police allege the woman was stabbed after the man broke into the property.

Her friend rang police at 3am on Tuesday to report there was someone in the house.

The police kept her on the phone for 11 minutes – until they arrived at the scene and found the Queensland woman’s body in another room.

Tasmania Police are investigating a suspected murder in Main St, Ulverstone, about 20km west of Devonport, on June 15, 2021. Picture: Twitter/@MonteBovill.

In a moving tribute, Ms Marshall’s brother said his “beautiful baby sister” was a beautiful soul who wanted nothing but peace in her life.

She has left behind a six year old daughter who is in the care of her parents.

“She has been taken away from us,” Casey McCarthy said. “Gabs, we love you, we’re sorry we couldn’t protect you and I’m awfully sorry this happened to you.”

Ms Marshall was described as a free spirit who was into fitness and music.

“May you now be in peace my beautiful baby sister,” Mr McCarthy said.

Police said they had not yet found any links between the woman and the man they had taken into custody.

The alleged murder has shocked other residents of the street and the entire town.

Teresita Philp has lived in Main St Ulverstone since the 1980s and had always felt safe and secure.

That confidence has been shaken by the incident just two doors up.

“It’s very scary and I am glad I have visiting family around me right now,” Ms Philp said.

“Ulverstone has a reputation as a safe place to live. The fact that it seems to have been so random is very concerning and I think that is what is worrying everyone.”

Ms Philp, along with other neighbours, was interviewed by police as the street became an investigation command post filled with detectives, uniformed officers and forensic officers.

“Everyone is so friendly in this small town,” Ms Philp’s daughter Megan said.

“Hopefully this terrible incident is a one-off.”