'These women are not just statistics'

Updated

These Australian women all died this year. What they have in common is their partners or ex-partners have been charged in relation to their deaths or have been named as the suspect in a murder-suicide. Here, the women's families and friends tell us the stories of their lives.

Advice: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this website contains images and names of people who have died.

Rinabel Tiglao Blackmore: 1970 - 2015

"There are so many things that bring her back to me."

Rinabel Tiglao Blackmore was a mum to three boys.

Rinabel's eldest son Renzy, 23, says they were a very tight-knit family who cherished their mother dearly.

"Our family is a special family. Our names all start with R. We are a big family. Mum was one of four girls and one boy and we have lots of cousins," Renzy says.

"Nothing like this has ever happened to us and it has brought us all together. It's easier for [my brothers] to open up to me about their feelings now."

Renzy says even though they didn't always openly reveal their love for each other, his mum knew she was very loved.

"Growing up we all knew that underneath we loved each other. We'd say to mum, 'can you pick me up a pizza on the way home? I love you.' We would add 'I love you' just so she would get us the pizza," he says laughing.

"We were a cosy family, us three boys and mum. Even though mum isn't here any more and we are separated, our goal is to always check up on each other.

"Everything we do now, we want to make mum proud. We want to keep in mind what she would want. Physically she isn't here any more but she is still looking out for us - she has just changed form.

"As a personal trainer the way I try to promote reaching goals... it's all about the way people look at things, and we need to re-learn and look at this situation in a different way. That is what has helped me pull through when I've felt like I was drowning.

"You realise what strength of character you have when something like this happens and how you deal with things. I don't want to focus on how mum died, I want to focus on how I can look after my brothers. Mum was a very hard worker and I think that rubbed off on me too.

Everything she did, she did it for us. She was a cleaner because it was good money but it was tough work.

"I don't get to see [my brothers] all the time but I'm just doing the best I know how and want to make sure they're okay.

"Before she died mum was pretty much taking care of us all, including my stepdad... it's tough, but we're getting through it. Financially it's tough, because mum did support us a lot."

Despite the emotional and financial strain, Renzy says his philosophy is not to worry about money but to make sure he is enjoying his life and working in a job that he loves – just as his mother would have wanted.

"I quit my trade and my motivation now is to just build my own little personal training business and be happy.

"I want my brothers and I to all live together. I know that's what my mum would have wanted. I think that was her plan too - for all of us to live together. I want to be financially stable so that we can all be together and they have a place to stay that is home.

"I know mum's dream was always to own her own house, or even to own more than one house so that when we were old enough she could pass it on to us. She wanted to give us all a home.

"I remember even when I was little her talking about that."

Renzy says since her death even the smallest things remind him of his mother.

"There are so many things that bring her back to me, things mum would have said or done that remind me of her. But the more you talk about it the more it helps."

Nikita Chawla: 1991 - 2015

"I miss the in-jokes, I miss poking fun at our parents together."

A successful choreographer and dancer, Nikita Chawla planned to travel to the United States after graduating from her bachelor of performing arts at Monash University, but she never got the chance to fulfil her dream.

She choreographed, sang in and produced her debut music video for Michael Buble's support act, Naturally 7, in late 2014 and started her own dance school, BollyFunk Creations, when she was just 18 years old.

"I couldn't have wished for a better sister," Nikita's brother Tarang Chawla says.

"I remember Niki as a generous, compassionate and ambitious young woman, who smiled despite all that she went through. Niki looked at the world with love, optimism and opportunity. I admire her immensely and I miss her every day."

Nikita's mother Sunila Chawla says her daughter was "vivacious, strong, courageous, talented and an independent young woman".

"My Nikita was full of life, dreams and ambitions. She was kind, caring, generous and giving. She was very sincere to her friends and family.

"I will miss her presence, the way she would come up and hug me.

"I remember when she was born in good health despite me having gestational diabetes. It will always be one of the happiest moments of my life.

"Niki only lived for 23 years but she gave us all more love than people give in a much longer lifetime.

"She had a sense of adventure. She survived bungee-jumping and skydiving which was very brave."

When asked what their happiest memories are of Nikita, her family says there are too many to mention.

"I miss the little things. I miss the in-jokes, I miss poking fun at our parents together. To others she was a performer and a creative, and I saw those things but to me she was, and always will be, my baby sister," her brother says.

"The individual successes, the hard work and the contribution she made to the lives of others were all important and I proudly supported her, but foremost to me she's my baby sister."

Tarang says Nikita had big plans for her future after overcoming severe depression and was looking forward to graduating and pursuing career opportunities overseas.

"She was looking forward to a bright, creative future which was cut short."

"She wanted to be recognised at the highest level by her creative peers, to win an award and give a 'thank you' speech. She rehearsed it so often in front of the mirror," her mother recalls.

Leila Alavi: 1990 - 2015

"Leila did not belong to this Earth. She was an angel and now has returned to her home in the sky."

Leila Alavi was born in Iran on May 8, 1990, the fifth child of Rostam and Manhoor Alavi.

As a child she was very quiet but was always smiling and laughing. Her brothers and sisters used to joke with her, asking if she took "smiling pills".

Her sisters Jacklin and Mitra remember her fondly.

"She always made us laugh. Even when we were mad at her she made us laugh. If we fought, she always forgave us. It was her nature to be forgiving and compassionate to everyone," they said.

Leila always believed that someone who was born in May (Ordiebehesht, according to the Iranian calendar) belonged to paradise, as that is the translation of its name.

Leila left Iran and immigrated to Australia in 2011. That same year she married a man whom she had fallen in love with a few years earlier.

She dreamed about becoming a pharmacist one day and was working her way through college to fulfil her dream.

She had many friends in Sydney who enjoyed her fun-loving spirit and beautiful smile. It is probably true to say that everyone who came into contact with Leila loved her, her sisters say.

Her sister Jacklin says Leila was dedicated to her study and was working towards her future.

"She was a very good person. She was a positive person. Very, very kind person. She was hard working and a very good student. She was studying and working for her future day and night.

"My family lost their life [when Leila died] because she was our life, she was our heart. I cannot call my mum and dad because I cannot handle their sadness," she says.

"Leila did not belong to this Earth. She was an angel and now has returned to her home in the sky."

Leila Alavi was 24 and is survived by four sisters and two brothers as well as her parents.

"These women are not just statistics. They are mums, sisters, granddaughters, aunts and friends. Their deaths are tragic and impact everyone. These were women who contributed to their communities, and their families. They had every right to be safe, loved and have a future."

— Rosie Batty, 2015 Australian of the year

Unnamed for cultural reasons: 1992 - 2015

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A 23-year-old woman was found deceased in Tennant Creek on June 8.

June Wallis: 1982 - 2015

"Anyone that met my niece found that her bubbly personality was her star feature."

Bright, bubbly and funny - that is how June Wallis's uncle, Mark Wallis, remembers his niece.

"She was a fun-loving young lady, full of spirit and never had a bad word to say about anyone," Mark says.

June was a mother to two children, aged 14 and 11, whom she adored.

"She owned a bakery at Burrum Heads near Hervey Bay and was loved by all that knew her. She was a well-respected businesswoman," Mark says.

"Her main passion was horses and she was well known around the horse community as a great lover and breeder of horses.

"Her friends are very saddened by her death."

When she was growing up June was a promising young athlete, according to Mark, who says her parents, Paul and Sue, were great supporters of their daughter's many pursuits.

"As a child she was very athletic, competing in state running championships until a knee injury halted her going further.

"Her mum and dad supported her in all aspects of her passions. Her father absolutely adored her and now cares for June's children. June was Paul's only child and Sue has a son, Phillip, from a previous marriage.

"Anyone that met my niece found that her bubbly personality was her star feature. She was always laughing and always cared for others, putting her own needs and health last.

"She was only 32 - so young to be taken.

"My memories of June are all good. I remember sitting on the windsurfer with my brother [her dad] when June was only about three and not telling her mum, Sue, for a long, long time. That was so funny - eventually we did put life vests on."

Mark says he also remembers when June was a beautiful flower girl for his and his wife Sharon's wedding.

"She never entered into family spats, just cruised along because that was our June - beautiful, fun and bubbly," he said.

"We visited Hervey Bay three or four times a year and always dropped in to see them all. It somehow will not be the same going there without seeing June. She will be, and is, missed.

"Rest in peace June."

Jackie Ohide: 1988 - 2015

"She's the closest thing to a sister I've had."

"Jackie Ohide was 27, a carer for dementia and high-needs patients, a devoted friend and a live music aficionado - but first and foremost she was a loving mother to her two young boys aged 2 and 4.

Jackie was born in a refugee camp in Ethiopia and her family moved to Australia when she was just one year old.

She started her life under difficult circumstances but did not let that deter her from building a life prosperous in friendship and laughter.

Jackie's life-long friend Lindsey Webb says she grew up with Jackie and their childhood friendship extended well beyond their schooling years, growing into a unique and steadfast bond.

"Jackie moved into the street that my mum lived on when I was about 11, so I've known her for close to 20 years now. We always used to play in the street back in the day and as we got older we both really loved the live music scene and had a lot of similarities - through all of that we became really good friends," Lindsey says.

"After school we were inseparable and she's been a massive part of my life. She's the closest thing to a sister I've had."

The pair moved in together after high school and Lindsey became the unofficial Godmother to Jackie's two children.

"She was devoted to her sons and embraced motherhood with great enthusiasm. When she fell pregnant, it was not planned but she embraced it.

"She was still studying nursing at the time and deferred her studies to be a mum. She just loved her kids. They loved sport, they loved cooking - she was always cooking – she had a huge sweet tooth, which was another thing we had in common.

"Any time that she wasn't working she was with the kids and playing with them. Her eldest sister has four children and so she was always involved with her family and there were always children around. She was the best mum I've ever seen."

Jackie was working in aged care before she died and had a particular interest in dementia and high-care patients.

"She was working towards moving into the disability sector. Everything about Jackie was about caring. It was a huge part of her life through her work and in the community," Lindsey says.

Not only was Jackie focused on helping others, Lindsey says her infectious personality and huge smile drew people to her.

"Whenever I talk about Jackie, I remember her amazing smile. We were always meeting new people because people were just drawn to her. She was a very gentle soul and everyone loved her.

"I don't think I've ever heard a bad thing about her. Lots of people say that but it's true for Jackie. No-one can think of a time when they've had an argument with her. She was very much about caring for people, looking after people and being there for them. People loved Jackie from the moment they met her."

Lindsey says Jackie was looking forward to moving her family to Melbourne to be with her partner and continue her work in the aged care sector.

"She was just about to move to Melbourne when she passed away. She was looking forward to having all of her family together again," Lindsey says as she struggles to hold back tears.

"She wanted to get over there and settle down and get her eldest boy ready for school. She just wanted them to be happy and to be loved and be a little family and grow up - all the things people want for their children.

"The boys are adjusting [to their mum's death] but they're so little, we're not really sure how they are taking it. This is something that will be a life-long issue for them to deal with.

"But they are a very close-knit family and even the wider community have been really helpful in making sure we are ok and keep going. Her eldest boy is getting ready for school next year, which is so exciting for him but sad that Jackie won't get to see either one of them start school. But we will do our best to help them.

"I am absolutely blessed to have those two boys in my life. There is nothing in this world that I want more than to see them grow up healthily and happily and do good things, which is exactly what Jackie would have wanted."

Tara Costigan: 1987 - 2015

"Tara had these funny little foibles. You could never tell her a secret."

Tara Costigan's grandmother Margaret Costigan helped raise Tara from a young age following the death of Tara's father.

She says Tara was known in the family as the "special one".

"Tara had these funny little foibles. You could never tell her a secret. She would always say 'don't tell me. You know I can't keep a secret'.

"She was a lovely, bubbly little girl. She was such a caring person. As her grandmother she always said [to me], 'Nan you will never go into a nursing home. I will look after you'. And she used to call in and see me at least three times a week to get a 'Nanny cuddle'. She used to tell me everything. I had her from a very young child," Margaret recalls.

"Tara was such a loved girl in our family. Her dad died when she was seven so she became very, very special and she knew it and she told everyone that she was the special grandchild. No-one ever said 'no you're not' because she was. She was so special with everyone, they all just loved her.

"Tara spent a lot of time with my husband and I, her Poppy, whom she adored. We supported her through a lot of things. Also my daughter was like a mother to her more than anyone, but everyone did their bit to help raise Tara.

"Because Tara was so much like another daughter, we then became grandparents to her children.

"I'm really grateful and happy that we had so many happy times with her. The house used to bounce on school holidays when we had them all and I'm really clinging to that, knowing that she actually really did have some happy times as a child and that's exactly what she wanted for her boys.

"She just wanted to be the best mum. She wanted to provide everything for her children. She worked very, very hard at three jobs to send her children to a private school, to have them baptised as Catholics and she wanted them to go to a Catholic school.

"She wanted them to go through to year 12 and possibly on to university. She wanted them to have a life that she knew she wasn't going to have because of her circumstances. She wanted the boys to be happy and have an ordinary, happy home and to grow up to be lovely boys."

Tara worked in aged care and Margaret says she took her job very seriously, becoming personally invested with her patients.

"I couldn't do the job she was doing looking after all the older people in their home. She was so gentle and so loving and she enjoyed talking to them and learning about them and when some of her people died she always went to their funerals and she was always upset. She was incredibly genuine, very feeling and caring," Margaret says.

"One of the things she wanted to do was become a mid-wife and she was just waiting for her eldest boy to go to high school which will be next year (2016) and she wanted to then enrol into classes at the university and become a mid-wife. That was one of her dreams – she just loved babies.

"The boys will be the ones who will miss out the most because they loved their mum. She was funny and played with them, chasing them and enjoying games.

"They really have to live with the fact they are never going to see their mum again. It's not easy for them. They are only 12 and 9. I think when they become teenagers they're really going to realise what they've lost."

Salwa Haydar: 1969 - 2015

"Our mum rose energetically every day and worked tirelessly to better herself, her family and her community."

Salwa Haydar was a mother of four. Her daughter Amani Haydar remembers her as a motivated person who worked hard to reach her goals.

"Our mum migrated from Lebanon to Australia in 1987 with wide eyes and high hopes. After dedicating the first half of her life in Australia to raising and educating her four children, she began to pursue an education and career of her own in community work and welfare.

"She kicked off a career with various community organisations assisting the needy and underprivileged. She became a counsellor and a mental health advocate. She helped struggling women, children, refugees and people with mental and physical illnesses without judging or blaming them for their problems.

"She was always receiving wonderful feedback from her clients and employers," Amani recalls.

"Our mum was constantly improving her expertise in mental health issues and raising awareness of these issues amongst non-English speaking communities.

"As part of her dedication to mental health, she had recently commenced a degree in psychology. She was also working full-time, assisting drug and alcohol dependant people including those suffering from homelessness and mental illness.

"Even with the hardships she faced inside and outside the home our mum rose energetically every day and worked tirelessly to better herself, her family and her community.

"Outside of her work, our mum supported the family both financially and emotionally. She was a creative homemaker, fantastic cook and a great conversationalist. She loved shopping and eating out but, at the same time, she encouraged us to set high standards and to seriously pursue our goals.

"As a result of her encouragement, my sisters and I have all completed, or are in the process of completing, our university studies and embarking on exciting careers of our own.

"She taught us to be fiercely independent, to face life's challenges head on, to speak up about our wants and needs and to pursue happiness.

"Our mum will be missed incredibly by her family, friends, clients and colleagues. Her death has broken hearts locally and abroad. She has siblings and friends across the world who will forever miss her. Her influence, however, will not die.

"We are hopeful that by following our mum's example of compassion and hard work, we too might have a lasting, positive effect on the world around us.

"Our future children will not meet her but they will certainly hear many great stories about the wonderful person she was and all of the things she achieved despite the barriers and difficulties she faced."

Unnamed for cultural reasons: 1997 - 2015

"She was a bright, bubbly young lady."

"The young lady that I knew, she was a bright, bubbly young lady," Fred Hooper told the ABC's PM program at the time of this woman's death.

"You know, I've known her since she was going to school and the young lady that we're talking about comes from an even smaller community, a little place called Weilmoringle, which is 100 kilometres away from Brewarrina and, you know, her family, which I'm a part of, we are the traditional owners of the land," Mr Hooper said.

Brittany Shanice Harvie: 1993 - 2015

"One day Britt and I were dancing on the kitchen table and it just collapsed. We threw it outside giggling."

Brittany Harvie's mother Reene Forrester says life will not be the same without her beautiful daughter.

"Brittany was a Leo and a strong-minded child. She knew what she wanted and was always a leader," Reene says.

Brittany had two brothers, aged 15 and 12. She was also a mum to two young daughters.

"She loved them dearly," Reene says. "Unfortunately [the girls] will never know Brittany personally, but they certainly will through us."

"She was there for anyone in need. Even if it was her last $2, she would give it to you. Britt didn't judge but she was certainly kind and would talk to anyone about their issues.

"We had some of the best times... dancing on tables, food fights. I still have fingerprints on the roof from friends and family when we spun around on tables. One day Britt and I were dancing on the kitchen table and it just collapsed. We threw it outside giggling and I said, 'well, we will have to get a new one'.

"Her brother Callan reminded me just yesterday about when all of us were dancing in the rain."

Reene says Brittany was often on the receiving end of some playful teasing when she was younger because she could not pronounce the word "onion".

"Brittany could never say 'onion' or 'tomato' properly. She would pronounce it 'youngion'. So we would always ask her for those and laugh. All of us are pranksters, so if you went to sleep in our house you were fair game.

"You could be drawn on, get covered in shaving cream. But no shaving - there were some rules. We put make-up on the blokes, had water fights or shaving cream fights that would go for hours.

"One time we had the hugest food fight inside the house, which Brittany started of course, trying to get the dog to drool on me. Gross.

"She loved animals. We had cats, dogs, turtles, hermit crabs, birds, stray animals and even people who became family."

Reene says Brittany's grandparents, Derrick and Dawn Harvie, were like second parents to her.

"Gee they spoilt her and I wasn't stopping them. They were two of the most unbelievable, unforgettable people I have ever met, so special," she says.

"They gave Britt the stability I couldn't. They had three boys and Britt was the little princess they'd never had.

"I'll never forget the day I walked into Dawn's to collect Brittany. She looked at her Nan and says, 'mum whoops Nan'. Dawn looked at me in disbelief, expecting me to get angry. I smiled and told her I thought it was sweet. If anything happened to me she was lucky enough to have two mums.

"She did that for the rest of her life. Sometimes making me the older and calling me 'Nan whoops mum'.

"They [Derrick and Dawn] both worked hard and happily spent their money on dancing, tennis, swimming, theatre, movies, holidays.

"Brittany was lucky enough to have the best of both worlds. She visited Fiji, Hawaii, America, the Sydney Olympic Games, zoos, whatever her heart desired her Pa was there - and for me as well. To the point I had to tell him off. It was too much.

"Birthdays – there were jumping castles, party hosts. At 10 she had a limo with friends."

Renee says Brittany struggled after the death of her Pa and battled depression.

"When Britt was about nine, we found out her Pa only had three months to live. I was having issues in my relationship at the time so suggested she move in with her Nan and Pa and get to know her dad as well, as he lived there too.

"Pa hung on for another four years for his baby and when he passed away Brittany struggled from then on. I tried so hard but she had pretty much lost a father figure and couldn't cope.

"Thank God Ben [father of one of Brittany's daughters] came along when he did and was able to bring Britt's smile back. But she couldn't let go and became depressed - although she never stopped fighting or gave up. Her favourite song was Christina Aguilera's Fighter. Her smile lit up the room."

Linda Locke: 1964 - 2015

"There are a lot of people over the years that she has taken under her wing and helped out."

Linda Locke adored her five grandchildren. Her daughter Elisha says Linda was a hard-working mum who was very involved in her and her brother Shain's upbringing.

"She was a very hands-on mum, very involved with the school and was always there," Elisha recalls.

"Pretty much anything we did as kids she was always involved in.

"The school community [she was a big part of]. All my teachers had a lot of respect for her. I remember her cheering me on at the swimming carnival and I remember thinking it was a little bit embarrassing at the time.

"But that was the sort of mum she was. She was a very proud mum, very caring, and there are a lot of people over the years that she has taken under her wing and helped out.

"I didn't really realise just how many until I met them all at the funeral. Some of the things that she'd done for people and helped.

"At the time prior to her death she was planning on moving up to be with me and her grandchildren. I spoke to her around Christmas time and she was meant to be coming up here in February."

Elisha says despite ill health her mum still found time to help others.

"She was loving, caring and outgoing and would do anything for anyone really. I just remember her being a fun, outgoing mum.

She was epileptic and her health wasn't great, but prior to that she had worked in retail. She supported the Salvation Army and the Cancer Council."

Her mother's protective qualities rubbed off on Elisha who says she is now a proud mum too.

"The kids come first. She was always a very strong woman."



Olga Neubert: 1978 - 2015

"Her one big dream was to have her own children."

Olga Neubert, 37, had lived in Australia for about 10 years after moving from the Philippines in her late 20s.

Olga's niece Camille Dizon lives in the Philippines along with the rest of Olga's immediate family, and she says her aunt was extremely kind and had many friends in both countries.

Camille says Olga is missed very much by her family, including her three brothers. She says Olga was a loving aunt who often helped her with her school work.

Friends of Olga's remember her as a strong woman who always helped others.

"Olga was a very generous woman who was always willing to help as much as she could," her friend Raquel says.

"As a long-time friend, I saw much of her sadness but never saw her tears. Her one big dream was to have her own children. She always hugged and kissed my daughter every time she visited us and I could see the sparkles in her eyes.

"As a wife, she was a very responsible married woman. She always cooked for her husband. She would also cut their lawn regularly making sure that they had a manicured lawn. She was a very hard-working woman."



"Everything about Jackie was about caring. It was a huge part of her life through her work."

— Friend Lindsey Webb pays tribute to Jackie Ohide

Julie Hutchinson: 1966 - 2015

"She was to me the most honourable woman that I have ever known."

Friend and colleague, Trish Dunne, says Julie Hutchinson was a quiet and gentle woman with a wicked sense of humour who was loved by everyone and well respected by her colleagues at Queensland Nickel (QN) in Townsville.

The 48-year-old principal chemist and mother of two came from a loving family who miss her every day.

"We loved Jules so very much. She worked at QN for 29 years and was loved by every single person that she had contact with," Trish says.

"She was, and always will be, a very special and loved woman. She was to me the most honourable woman that I have ever known. A true credit to her family."

Trish says Julie spoke often about her dad and how much she loved him.

"I think her dad is a wonderful man and Jules just loved him. She always talked about him to a lot of us at work."

Julie leaves behind a brother and a sister as well as two young sons aged 13 and 10. Her mother passed away years earlier.

"Those little ones will be lost without their mum," Trish says. "They are beautiful boys and a real credit to Julie's love."

Trish says Julie had an enviable work ethic and was extraordinarily talented in her field, often mentoring and training her colleagues in all aspects of instrumentation.

"She was the wealth of knowledge to so many of us. If something went wrong or we did not know how to approach or deliver a result the first words out of my mouth would be, 'let's ask Jules'.

"I worked with Julie for 16 years and she was my friend. She was the only person that I have ever met that if you told her anything she would never repeat it.

"Even when someone did Julie wrong, she would never speak out of turn. She was a quite achiever. She was, in my opinion, the driving force in our laboratory.

"Anyone that worked with her will tell you that no-one could replace her knowledge and wonderful leadership.

"I used to call her the turtle," Trish says, laughing. "She was the turtle and I was the hare because she was methodical. She crossed all her T's and dotted all her I's - while I was always in a hurry to get something done.

"If a machine needed to be fixed Jules would say, 'let me just check the manual'. And she would spend hours reading the manual. You knew if Jules was on the case it would be done properly.

"She was a radiation specialist and looked after all the hazardous materials. She also wrote all of the work instructions and kept them up to date, which was such a big task for any one person.

"Everybody misses her. From the day she didn't come in to work she was missed. You don't work somewhere for 29 years and not be missed when you don't come in.

"It was hard for her colleagues to come in to work and see Jules's empty desk. Julie was irreplaceable. [After her death] we had phone calls from people who had worked with Jules over 25 years ago saying how much they respected her and remembered her as a quiet and lovely person.

"She was respected by every single person she worked with. Julie was so lovely and would always go the extra mile.

"She was a true friend to so many of us. I just wish everyone could have had the pleasure of having Jules in their lives. She was my teacher, my mentor, my boss, but most of all, my friend.

"I am a better person for having had her in my life. Not a day goes by without thinking of her.

"I was in awe of Jules. I put her on a pedestal. For us who knew her she will always be 'Our Jules'.

"I pray we find you soon so we can lay your beautiful soul to rest and have a place to sit with you and reflect on what a beautiful soul you truly were."

Nadia Cameron: 1963 - 2015

"I remember her as a sweet little cuz who had long brown hair which her dad brushed 100 times each night."

Nadia Cameron was a prominent real estate agent in her home town of Bathurst in New South Wales and is described by her family as an outgoing, gregarious woman.

Her cousin Christine Davidson says she remembers many happy times from her childhood playing with Nadia and visiting their grandparents together.

"Nadia to me was one of a kind," Christine says.

"I remember her as a sweet little cuz who had long brown hair which her dad brushed 100 times each night.

"We only saw each other a few times a year when we were younger, when she travelled to Bathurst to stay with our nan and pop."

Nadia leaves behind a 16-year-old son.

"When she and [her son] came back to live in Bathurst I would see them around town. Later more so when we became members in the Bad Hobo's motorcycle club," Christine says.

"She was a beautiful girl with a sweet heart and will be missed so very much.

"Nadia's favourite quote was 'a princess never settles for anything, you deserve the best, demand it, enjoy it... life is not a dress rehearsal so enjoy every minute of every day'.

"As a mum Nadia wanted what all mums want - that our children or child has every opportunity to succeed in life, be it full of love, support and encouragement.

"I never heard Nadia put anyone down. She spoke highly of many," Christine says.

Another of Nadia's cousins, Lynne Pleming, says family was important to Nadia, especially spending time with her son.

"Nadia had a beautiful soul. She was a kind-hearted lady who enjoyed the simple things in life - good food, good wine, but most of all spending time with her son."

Lynne says Nadia strived to be successful and always accepted a challenge.

"She had big dreams... always wanting to do and be better for her son. If you gave her a challenge she would gladly accept it and finish it. She loved being around people."



Renee Carter: 1975 - 2015

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The bodies of Renee Carter, 39, and her partner Corey Croft, 43, were found at their house in Upper Coomera on January 21.

Renee's five-year-old son was found unharmed inside the house.

"It is really sad for the little boy. You never know what is going on behind closed doors, I guess," neighbour Tony Smales told the Gold Coast Bulletin at the time of their deaths.

Fabiana Palhares: 1980 - 2015

"She was so supportive of me when I was going through a hard time and she was always there for me."

She was funny and hard working, she loved the colour purple and she always stuck her tongue out in photos, says Bianca Gouveia in remembering her friend Fabiana Palhares.

Fabiana was 10 weeks pregnant with her first child and was so excited to be a mum. She had everything going for her and had so many plans for the future, says Bianca.

"Her dream was to be a mum. She was very happy, such a good person and a beautiful soul," Bianca says.

Fabiana and Bianca first met in Brazil but it wasn't until they reconnected after Bianca moved to Queensland that they became close friends.

"We had common friends in Brazil so when I moved to Australia I got in touch with her and we became very close," Bianca says.

"We came to Australia as students. She got her residency and jobs cleaning and waitressing. She was such a hard worker.

"She had reached a point in her life where she was very stable. Her cleaning business was doing well. She had just bought a new car and she planned on buying a home for her little family. Everything was perfect.

"She was so supportive of me when I was going through a hard time and she was always there for me.

"We used to call each other 100 times a day."

Bianca says she will never forget an incident that happened just one day before Fabiana died.

"I came home and she was sleeping and I covered her with the blanket. I did not see her the next day but she told another one of our friends, 'oh Bianca she is so nice', and my friend told me this afterwards. Fabiana did not tell me this herself but it was nice to hear it.

"We always said we would be together forever," Bianca says. "We talked a lot in the last two weeks of her life and Fabiana kept saying, 'we are going to live in peace' and I believe she is in peace now."

Fabiana leaves behind an older brother Raphael and her parents who remain in Brazil. Bianca says her much-loved pet dog named Lion was also by her side at the end.

"She was very close to her family. Her love for her family was very strong," Bianca says.

"I ask myself, 'why?' This is too hard to believe that she is gone. But I'm sure she's in peace now.

"She is my angel. She came into my life to make me a better person. She will always be here with me. It's so sad to remember she is gone. So hard to believe."

Unnamed for cultural reasons: 1978 - 2015

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A 36-year-old woman was found deceased on an oval in Broome on February 12.

Kerry Michael: 1971 - 2015

"It just made you feel good about yourself to be around her."

Kerry Michael was described by her family as a fitness enthusiast.

She was a mother to son Nathan and enjoyed travelling.

"Basically her son was her life, she was just a great person to have around and it just made you feel good about yourself to be around her," her sister Tracey Heanes, told the Mercury in February.

Ainur Ismagul: 1960 - 2015

"She was a respected and well-liked member of our community."

Ainur was a mother of two and worked at the Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics, researching genetically modified crops.

It is understood she was born and studied in Kazakhstan and presented papers at international conferences, as well as having her work published in respected scientific journals.

"We are shocked and saddened to lose one of our colleagues... Ainur was a respected and well-liked member of our research community at the Waite who will be greatly missed," a spokeswoman for the University of Adelaide said.

Sabah Al Mdwali: 1987 - 2015

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Sabah Al Mdwali was a mother of three and described by her neighbours as a quiet woman.

"May Allah grant our sister recompense, in the serving of justice in this world and unimaginable peace in the nearness to her Rabb in the next world," the Hiraa Muslim Sisters of Canberra wrote of Sabah on their Facebook page.

Daniela D'Addario: 1980 - 2015

"Daniela loved family, children and animals. She was courageous."

Daniela worked in Canberra as a public servant. Her neighbours and friends, Chris and Kathryn Reid, described her as fun, talented and a great animal lover.

"Daniela was a gentle spirit with a warm heart. She always saw the best in people, was always striving for justice and caring for others.

"Daniela loved family, children and animals. She was courageous. She was happiest when following her dreams.

"She loved to travel and had so much spirit. Her huge smile and infectious laughter brightened every place she went.

"Daniela was intelligent and talented. She was a great writer, communicator, artist, dancer and friend."

Jody Meyers: 1995 - 2015

"She had a love for animals but mostly horses. She was always out riding her pet horse."

Jody Meyers was born in Murray Bridge in 1995. She is described by her sister Tania Parsons as a beautiful and bubbly young lady who was a doting mother and fun-loving sister.

Just after her fourth birthday in 1999 Jody's parents separated and Jody, along with her three siblings, moved to Port Lincoln.

"Mum and us four kids moved to Port Lincoln where we awaited the arrival of another sister," says Tania.

"As siblings we used to muck around putting on our Hi-5 CD and dancing around the backyard. It was so much fun. Jody blossomed into a beautiful lady."

In 2010 Jody moved to the small town of Mypolonga where she enjoyed riding her horse as well as the country life.

"She had a love for animals but mostly horses. She was always out riding her pet horse," says Tania.

"Jody was a bright bubbly young lady with a lot of potential who was recently breeding rabbits with her son."

Jody was also very close to her family and a dedicated mum to her two-year-old son.

"She loved her family and her son was the twinkle in her eye," says Tania.

Jody leaves behind sisters Tania, Sarah, and Kyly and brother Shaun.

Unnamed woman: 1993 - 2015

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A 22-year-old woman found deceased in Yalata on May 25.

Rebecca Webb: 1979 - 2015

"Bec was an excellent nurse. She would go that extra mile for any of the residents."

To her friends Rebecca Webb was known as Bec. She was an assistant in nursing, a mother to one daughter and a sister to Christopher and Michelle.

She was also a dear friend to Jackie Moore, or Jax as she prefers to be known. During the last few months of Bec's life, she and Jax were inseparable. They had worked together in aged care in Cessnock for many years prior to both of them moving to Hermidale in regional New South Wales.

Jax says she trained Bec during her very first day on the job.

"We buddied up. We worked together for a good three and half years and I met her young daughter and that's how we became good friends," Jax says.

"Bec was an excellent nurse. She would go that extra mile for any of the residents. Whatever they needed she would go that extra mile to help them.

"She loved her job. She enjoyed dancing with the elderly residents, singing with them. She joined in the dancing and the singing all the time," says Jax with a laugh.

"We would dance with them and sing with them. It was just lovely and that just stays with me. If you're going to be a nurse and look after the elderly it's in your heart.

"Bec would put on some oldie goldie music and grab a resident and dance with him and she really enjoyed it and they were all very sad when this tragedy happened."

Jax says she was contacted by former patients of Bec's who were devastated when they heard she had died.

"They got on to me on Facebook and rang me and they were very, very shocked because she was such a lovely person and they could not believe it."

Jax says she and Bec often referred to each other as "sisters from another mother" because they had such a strong bond.

"We were very close. Bec left Cessnock to join me in Hermidale. When I left Cessnock I had a farewell and she just cried her heart out because to her I was the only one who would listen to her and try and help her.

"When I left there I always told her she could contact me, but I was seven hours away."

Eventually Bec did move to Hermidale and started working at the Hermidale Hotel as a cook and very quickly became endeared to the locals.

"Everybody really enjoyed her company. They really loved her. She was always laughing. She had this damn funny laugh," says Jax.

"In the last month she stayed here she loved it. She loved this place. She grew stronger. I said, 'you must stay strong. Build yourself up' ... and she did. She picked herself up. She wasn't down and out. She actually grew stronger.

"Before she came here she was really down. The first two weeks I just kept talking to her and she started opening up. We would go out and put our yabbie nets in and enjoy life. And she said to me she loved it out here.

"She was brought up in a little country town, so I think this took her back to her childhood. It took her back to her father, because her father passed away and she remembered all those good times.

"I saw the photos of her as a child at the funeral and I could not believe what a little chubby thing she was. Instead of being sad I was actually laughing to myself watching how she grew up."

Bec's mother Sue is also a nurse and says her daughter's death has been extremely difficult.

"I miss her every day as does her family. We often think about what she would be doing and know that she would be living her life as any country girl does – enjoying the friendships and caring for people as Bec always did, especially caring about her daughter and family.

"She was a beautiful girl... a country girl. She just loved the country," Sue says.

Jax says it has been difficult for Sue to come to terms with losing her daughter so young.

"Her mother is very sad. She did not expect to lose one of her children before her," Jax says.

"After Bec died I was going to pack up my bags and leave Hermidale but I know my sister from another mother would have said 'you get yourself back there'. So I still go down to the pub where we used to play pool and have a drink together, right up until that last night.

"We'd go into the pub and play that damn jukebox and her favourite song: Marvin Gaye, Let's Get It On. And every time I go down there I've got to play that song for her. And dance around that one pool table and that one gaming machine.

"Her dream was to give her daughter a beautiful life and watch her grow into a young lady. Everything was about her daughter. That's what she wanted. She wanted to be happy and live a beautiful life and watch her daughter grow up."

Serina May Amos: 1981 - 2015

"She always stepped in. She never walked past. She brought me out of my hard times."

Serina Amos was the "strong one" in her family, according to her aunt Mary Jones. She held the family together and cared for the elders as well as the children.

"Serina's dream was that her family would get on their feet. She was the main carer of the family," Mary says.

"There is not a kid walking around Oodnadatta that hasn't been kissed by Serina. If their parents were drinking she would take them home and take care of them.

"She would tell them about Jesus and do Bible study with them."

Serina always intervened when someone needed help, Mary recalls.

"She always stepped in. She never walked past. She brought me out of my hard times."

Mary says the entire community of Oodnadatta is struggling to come to terms with Serina's death as she was loved by everyone.

"She could have got a job anywhere. She studied and did courses and was smart."

Serina leaves behind a 14-year-old daughter – her "one and only" says Mary - as well as a brother Dennis and sister Carmen.

"She was special. She had an accident as a newborn and was taken in by her grandparents and spent most of her teenage years taking care of her grandfather before he passed away.

"She was always helping out the school, going on excursions and travelling with the kids.

"She loved to share her experiences of bush tucker and hunting on to the young ones and the kids.

"I had contact with her weekly, so it's really hard without her. She will be sadly missed."

Donna Gusman: 1975 - 2015

"They were good to us. "[Their] son always came over and said hello to us."

Donna Gusman was a long-time resident of Keilor Downs north-west of Melbourne.

Neighbours said she lived there for about 20 years.

"They were good to us. They gave us furniture for the kids," a neighbour told the Herald Sun.

"[Their] son always came over and said hello to us."

Donna Gusman leaves behind two adult children.

Karina Lock: 1966 - 2015

"It's hard because there are always things I want to ring and tell her but then I remember she's not there."

Karina Lock was a loving mum, devout Jehovah's Witness and caring friend.

Born in Renmark, South Australia, Karina moved to far north Queensland as a teenager.

It was during her time in Cairns that Karina met her best friend of more than 30 years Kerry Zipperer.

Since their very first meeting when they were 16-years-old the pair were inseparable.

"We were best friends, kindred spirits, we told each other everything," says Kerry.

Karina was a loving mum of four to Xaen, 26, Samara, 18, Jed 17, and 14-year-old Jenna.

Karina and her husband Steve lived in Maryborough for 16 years before the Puller Street home was sold.

During her time in the heritage city, Karina helped with catering for the Maryborough Eisteddfod and took a course in flower arranging with a local florist on Adelaide Street.

"She loved it," says Kerry.

"She did that for a few years and she was very good at it."

Those close to Karina are still coming to terms with her loss.

"It's hard because there are always things I want to ring and tell her but then I remember she's not there," says Kerry.

Tara Brown: 1991 - 2015

"She was just that girl, that pretty, beautiful girl that everyone knew and she was just the best mother."

Tara Brown, 24, was a legal assistant on the Gold Coast, and was described by a work colleague as happy-go-lucky, gentle, caring and funny.

"You amazed us with your beauty, moved us to tears, and challenged us to do everything in our power to make this world a safer place for our children and one another," Tara's aunt Maria Hinton said at her funeral service.

"You have impacted our lives. Tara, know that we love you, know that you are and always will be cherished in our hearts."

Tara's friend Aroha Griffiths told the ABC's 7.30 program that Tara's death would be felt hardest by her daughter.

"A lot of parents and a lot of mums will understand, you know, children are so precious to us and just not having them, um, and being so young too.

"I just can't explain the feeling because they were so close, you know, they were best friends and now she's just going to have memories of her mum. But not coming home to her mum will probably just shatter her like a lot of kids, you know.

"She was just that girl, that pretty, beautiful girl that everyone knew and she was just the best mother."

Tara leaves behind her three-year-old daughter Aria.

Unnamed for cultural reasons: 1965 - 2015

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A 49-year-old woman was found deceased in Alpurrurulam on August 10.

Danielle Zub (nee Miller): 1971 - 2015

"She had so much to give. She was really smart, very articulate and intelligent."

Kristof Zub says when he first met his future wife, Danielle Miller, they had an instant connection.

"I was coming home one night after being out with friends and I sat down for a coffee and ended up sitting next to Danielle and we looked each other in the eyes and it was just like, 'wow who is this girl?' and she looked at me and thought, 'wow who is this guy?'," he says, chuckling.

"It was an instant connection for us. That was in late 1998 I think. We dated for a while and then Dani's mum passed away and we had a break for about six months but got back together."

Kristof says he remembers his wedding day being perfect thanks to Danielle's meticulous planning.

"She was always super organised with everything. She organised our wedding and everything went like clockwork."

Kristof and Danielle went on to have two children, who are now aged nine and six.

"She always wanted to be married and have kids. She wanted that the most. Of all the things in the world she wanted that," says Kristof.

"She was a great mum. She read every book, she did everything to be the perfect parent. She worked very, very hard.

"But when our first daughter wouldn't feed, it was very difficult for Dani. She relied on the doctors but they didn't diagnose our daughter with reflux until after 12 months.

"By that time Dani had suffered so much anxiety and thought it was her fault. She had such low self-esteem and had just burnt out - it was terrible.

"She changed her diet, she changed her pillows for goodness sake, we had breastfeeding specialists. My work was full-on; I was working between 16 and 20-hour days sometimes."

Kristof says Danielle struggled with alcoholism and by the time their second child was born Danielle was battling her addiction, eventually leading to the breakdown of their marriage.

"I met someone who was happy-go-lucky... she stumbled through life but not in a bad way. Then something just happened and to me it seemed like with the illness that all of a sudden she just got smaller and smaller and smaller and everything, including the furniture and the walls got bigger and bigger and bigger. Only some people can see what's happening and break out of it."

Kristof says he hopes to draw attention to the impact alcohol has on society and how it affects families and relationships.

"Alcoholism is such a disease and nothing is working. For us nothing worked. The drain alcoholism has on families, not just the money, but emotionally. What it does... it's much bigger than a medical issue," he says.

Despite being separated, Kristof continued to be a major support to Danielle who sought professional help to overcome her illness.

"I found her handwritten notes where she had written a self-evaluation with good things on one side and bad things on the other.

"On the good side she wrote 'my ex hubby is so supportive and he brings the kids over and I feel guilty dropping all this work on him'. I was reading over that and I just broke down and cried because I always knew that she wanted to get well."

Kristof describes Danielle as smart and funny. He says she loved reading and writing and just like him she also loved fishing.

"She really loved going fishing. I have a photo of her when she caught a bream. She's got the biggest grin on her face. She's got a grin because she caught a bream," he says, laughing.

"She loved reading, she started writing but she got very sick with [their son]. She started writing a book but her illness overtook everything and she just stopped.

"We had an understanding that when she got well we would get back into parenting, maybe not back together as a couple, but getting back together as friends and getting the kids on the right path and all of us would contribute.

"She had so much to give. She was really smart, very smart, very articulate and intelligent. She would have been a fantastic support for me with their education.

"I'm just an ordinary bloke. I like fishing and I can fix broken things," he says, laughing through the tears.

"And that's it. I'm very slow and I take a long time and procrastinate, but with the kids I couldn't do that. It's very hands-on. So having Danielle would have been a great help.

"But my parents and friends have been a great support. So has the school. I'm just flabbergasted with the amount of support.

"The principal of the school told me it would be okay if the kids didn't go to school for the whole week after finding out their mum had died.

"And I said, 'let me think about it'. By the Sunday morning I had already explained to the kids in a nice way what had happened to mum – that she was an angel.

"We had a cat pass away last year so I said, 'remember how we buried kitty and she's in cat heaven? Well mummy's in heaven now, but it's okay, don't worry, she's looking over you and you might still have to go to school tomorrow'.

"I said, 'if you decide to go to school on Monday what should we do?' We talked about it in a nice way and I said 'mummy is still going to be with you. She is an angel now. So you can tell me if you're not up to it'. But in the morning [our daughter] said, 'yeah I think I want to go to school'.

"And so we went and [our son] was on one side of me and [our daughter] on the other and we walked in and put their school bags in and they played and all of [our daughter's] friends, one by one, gave her the biggest cuddle and it was amazing. I think that was the best thing I did. I kept it normal.

"I've always had a routine - ABC News in the morning, have a coffee, then scrambled eggs and baked beans, and the kids sit down and we watch The Flammin Thongs – that's a great one. We call it the Flammin Zubs. But the routine has really saved me and I've always had that routine. It's been great for the kids too.

"Through our journey of grief I wanted to keep that normality. I didn't want them to think they could get away with not going to school or doing their homework. Life goes on. I didn't want them to become victims. The Earth is still spinning. Maybe it's not the right thing but I feel I'm doing the right thing for them.

"In the last three months before she died Danielle had started to pick up and I noticed and I encouraged the kids to call their mum and contact her as much as they could.

"They were up with the Facetime and in the last two weeks of her life they would have Facetimed their Mum up to a dozen times, which was unprecedented from when she was really ill and we wouldn't hear from her for a really long time.

"The kids would ask, but I'd say 'look mummy is really ill, she's really tired and you know what it's like when you're tired. You don't want to talk to mummy when she's asleep'. What else could I tell them?

"As I bury my dearest friend, who I knew for many years... I never thought I'd be doing this. And I'm saying goodbye to one of my best friends.

"She's not going to be there for the kids. That's my biggest fear is... I'm not in fear of facing the future, but I just want to make sure nothing happens to my kids.

"Everywhere I look. I've got a photo of her on one wall and another photo of us laughing on another wall. There's little silly cards. One of [our daughter and son] laughing with her at the Carina show.

"We had the best times, even though she was ill. There's lots of happy memories. I've got to be optimistic and I don't want to drown in sorrow.

"As long as I'm there to protect them they will be okay. She was a wonderful person and if you met her once you'd want to meet her again. I can tell you that."

Kirralee Paepaerei: 1977 - 2015

"What I can tell you is that she was resilient - more than anyone I have ever known."

Kirralee Paepaerei was a mother of four boys and very much looking forward to having her fifth child – a little girl she hoped to call Mia.

After her death, Kirralee's sisters, Kylie and Tammy Dugo, read an emotional statement on behalf of their mother.

"My beautiful daughter Kirralee was sadly taken from us way too soon.

"Kirralee was excited and counting down the weeks to finally have her baby girl Mia.

"My four grandsons have lost their mother, my family has lost a sister, a niece, a granddaughter, and most of all we lost our daughter.

"Kirralee was our beautiful, loving daughter who was always there, lending a hand when needed."

Kirralee's friend Kellie Ellis says she remembers Kirralee as a very strong woman.

"What I can tell you is that she was resilient - more than anyone I have ever known," she said.

"She came to my aid in my low times - she was a listening ear, a chauffeur, she even shared wise words with me."

— Veronica speaks about her sister Jacinta Pompei

Unnamed for cultural reasons: 1974 - 2015

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A 38-year-old woman was found deceased in a home at Geraldton on August 1.

Corinne Henderson: 1983 - 2015

"She was incredibly loyal and incredibly protective of her friends."

A woman who was just as comfortable wearing steel-capped safety boots and high-vis gear as she was strutting her stuff at the fashions on the field – that's how Corinne Henderson's friends remember their beloved "pocket rocket".

Sally Jupp first met Corinne almost eight years ago at a mine in Tasmania where the two work colleagues soon became good friends.

"I was the safety advisor for an underground mine and Corrine was an underground truck driver, so I guess when we first met we had a bit of a connection straight away due to the nature of the environment where we were working," says Sally.

"My nickname in the mines was Safety Sal and this is what Corinne has always called me.

"After I left that mine we went our separate ways but coincidentally we both moved to Townsville around the same time. I was working for a training company and was sent out to Cannington where Corinne worked, but I didn't know that at the time and I bumped into her out there."

Sally says she and Corinne picked up where they left off and became great friends - this time at the opposite end of the country.

"As soon as I bumped into her we rekindled our friendship and became quite close."

Sally says Corinne was somewhat shy when first meeting people but was actually quite an outgoing person.

"After we rekindled our friendship I introduced her to all my friends. I remember we were going out one night to karaoke and I was telling my partner all about her saying, 'she's a little pocket rocket mining chick' and when she turned up she was this pretty, shy, quiet little thing and he says, 'what? This can't be the girl you're talking about'.

"She was just shy at first around people she didn't know but we went out and had a great time singing karaoke. At a pub later that night we were all sitting at a table when a guy came over and started annoying us and Corinne sprung up off her chair and turned into the Incredible Hulk saying 'get away from my friends'. She'd only just met them a few hours before but she was incredibly loyal and incredibly protective of her friends," says Sally.

"She just fitted in so well and it didn't take long for her to show them all the Corinne I knew.

"She used to enter the fashions on the field when she was younger in Tassie. She loved to dress up but she was also just as comfortable and just as beautiful in shorts and a t-shirt."

Corinne was very driven professionally, actively seeking out new opportunities and new skills.

"She absolutely loved mining," says Sally. "When people work fly-in, fly-out, it's a very common thing for them to get to work and start the countdown until they go home but Corinne wasn't that type of person. She loved going to work as much as she loved her days off.

"In fact she was about to start training on a brand new machine. She'd been working really hard and making good impressions with the bosses. So they offered her the opportunity to start working on this new machine. She took it upon herself to go and get the training packages from the training department and in her own time went over those packages and did all the theory work behind the scenes, that's how keen she was.

"She drove a haulage truck and she was about to start working on one of the new model loaders. With Corinne all of these things were starting to fall into place in her life and that was one of them.

"She was also about to start building a brand new house. It was due to start being built on the Monday after she died.

"She had been planning this dream home for 12 months and was really meticulous with the details. She knew exactly how many solar panels she needed to get the rebate and be environmentally friendly," says Sally, laughing.

"She was very interested in real estate. She also had a house in Tassie and her unit in Townsville."

Corinne was extremely close to her mum and dad, who were in Townsville at the time of her death helping with the plans for her new home.

"She was super close with her mum and dad. She was dad's girl and her mum was like her best friend. Her parents spent a considerable amount of time up here each year," says Sally.

"The blessing is that they had such a great day together at the races before she died. Her family are still stunned and in disbelief. It's just been a nightmare."

Corinne also leaves behind her beloved dog Aurora who she loved to take everywhere with her.

"She had a dog called Aurora who was her best mate and on her days off just loved taking Aurora to the beach or the night markets or a run up Castle Hill.

"Aurora used to go to a doggie pet resort when Corinne was at work and no matter how many times I said, 'oh you can leave Aurora here', she would say 'no, no, no that's where she loves to go'.

"And this was like a five-star place where she could go swim and play with other dogs. She just loved her dog."

Sally says Corinne had a habit of printing out all her photos meaning many precious memories of her life were now captured in time.

"When I went through her personal items there were so many photos. She got everything printed off. She would give everyone printed photos and she was always the one in the photo booth putting on hats and masks. I think for her that was a camaraderie thing, a friendship thing trying to capture moments.

"When I walked into her unit after she died there was a photo on the fridge of that night we did karaoke – that first night when she met all of my friends and that choked me up a bit to see that that night was so special to her.

"My partner was a bit protective of her and the day after the races Corinne and her new partner were supposed to be coming to our house for morning tea to introduce her new boyfriend to my partner.

"It was very important for her to do it right and make sure he was introduced to everyone and we were sure things were going to progress with them. She took a lot of pride in things like that."

Corinne was 32 years old and the youngest of three children. She leaves behind two older brothers, Justin and Harley. She was also a very proud auntie and a partner to Dwayne.

Maureen Boyce: 1947 - 2015

"When in the United States she was Valentino's favourite model. She was indeed a supermodel, before the term was even created."

Maureen Boyce was a regular on the Brisbane social circuit. She was a former model who had a bustling career in the 1970s frequenting the fashions of the field and City Hall fashion parades.

Her family - husband Graham and children Zachary and Angelique - released a statement at the time of her death:

"We are devastated beyond words to describe the sudden, unexpected, tragic death of our beloved mother and wife of our dad, Graham.

"Mum was larger than life and a unique, veracious, colourful person, but always loved by all she touched with her kind-hearted, generous and friendly nature.

"She was one of those few individuals who whenever they walked into a room filled it with sunshine, life and happiness.

"She was always there for all of us whenever we needed her, able to reassure, comfort and advise with unconditional love and affection.

"She was so much more than her public persona as a fashionista high-profile socialite. Anyone who knew her discovered that she was a wonderful caring person with the kindest of hearts and the gentlest of spirits.

"She would never pass a homeless person on the street without reaching into her purse to give them a helping hand and she despised injustice of any form.

"A little known aspect of mum was her deeply held religious beliefs, never travelling without her Bible; a book that she read daily without exception and she was a regular church attendee, including the Sunday before her tragic passing.

"She has helped and advised not only her family but so many others in our community on so many aspects of life.

"This has been shown by the extraordinary response in the last two days from so many people that she has helped and inspired over many years, and we are grateful for the support these kind people have given us in our time of immense grief.

"She was the daughter of Marion and Daniel Madden of East Brisbane, who after she finished school worked in the Brisbane City Council where her father was the chief industrial chemist.

"She then started in fashion modelling in Brisbane and forged an amazing career here in this city, New York, London, and Houston.

"In her years of modelling her face was constantly in the papers, on the catwalk, and television as Brisbane's most popular fashion model.

"She appeared regularly on the Dick McCann Variety Show that was one of the most popular shows in Brisbane at the time.

"When in the United States she was Valentino's favourite model, and in Australia a special favourite of George Gross and Myer, appearing in many parades and commercials.

"She was indeed a supermodel, before the term was even created.

"When working in New York her father became seriously ill and she unselfishly quit her high life there and came back to Australia to help her mother and father.

"It was during this time that she met and fell in love with our dad, Graham and they were married soon after. Sadly her father passed away just around that time and Maureen then cared for her mother then and in later years.

"Graham and Maureen then moved to Hervey Bay for a short time before moving back to Brisbane and supported dad in starting his medical practice.

"She never returned to full-time modelling but did some part-time modelling for a number of years until she became a full-time mother to Zachary and then a few years later to Angelique.

"She has since devoted her whole life to us and we are so incredibly privileged to be able to call her mum and wife.

"Even though in recent years dad's work has meant he lived in Cairns much of the time, mum and dad were so close, talking on the phone multiple times per day and remained deeply in love and committed to each other, frequently visiting and enjoying each other's company.

"For the last two years mum has spent most of her time in Cairns with dad in a happy loving relationship.

"To our dearest mum and wife, Maureen as you are watching over us in God's care we say thank you for all that you have done for us.

"May you rest in peace and your love live on in all those you have influenced."

Melinda Horner: 1979 - 2015

"She loved children and also had plans to travel overseas to volunteer with orphans."

Melinda Horner was a keen traveller who worked as a nanny and a youth worker on the Gold Coast.

Her friend Brooke Newton paid tribute to her on facebook saying they shared many precious memories together.

"How on earth can I say goodbye to you, my incredible friend?

"It is unbearable to think that we all now need to continue this journey in life without you here with us, by our sides, in person.

"You bought me so much happiness over the past 13 years. I am left with so many special memories of you, which I will treasure forever.

"I love you darling woman. Please come and visit me often from heaven xx."

Melinda was involved in raising funds for a school in Cambodia and was described by her friends as vibrant and outgoing.

"She loved children and also had plans to travel overseas to volunteer with orphans in December," one of her friends told news.com.au at the time of her death.

"Mel was a beautiful person. She grew up on the Gold Coast and went to Miami High."

Seker Yildiz: 1955- 2015

"When there's one rare person like my mother who can't even bear to kill ants, I am really grateful that I had a mother like that."

A special moment in the garden sums up the kind of woman Seker Yildiz was, her son Tuncay Sahin says.

One day when she was planting flowers, she found a colony of ants beneath a boulder and decided that she could not go ahead with digging up the soil.

"She was torn between the desire to plant those plants that she had her heart set on planting, and the fact that she would have to kill and get rid of the ant family," Tuncay says.

"She decides not to harm the ant family.

"The whole world has gone crazy. Christians are killing Muslims, Muslims are killing Christians. People are out to get each other.

"When there's one rare person like my mother who can't even bear to kill ants, I am really grateful that I had a mother like that."

Originally from Turkey, Seker lived in Melbourne for the three years before she died in Dallas, near Broadmeadows, in May.

She left behind three children.

A lover of animals and community, Seker spent her entire life trying to help other people, Tuncay says.

"I brought my mother here. She set an example of how to be a good person. It's very difficult. She was a very good person.

"There are not enough words to describe my mother.

"She used to love cows and chickens and sheep and she was just a lover of nature.

"In the 60 years that my mother lived on this Earth she didn't harm anyone, she didn't hurt anyone, she was a very good community member. So I hope she is remembered in such a positive light. I think that's how she would have liked to be remembered.

"I think my strongest memory was 10 days before she passed away, she planted a kiss on my lips and that stays with me very strongly."

Jacinta Pompei: 1983 - 2015

"We'll miss you Jay but your memory will blossom forever, our beautiful precious flower."

Jacinta Pompei was born into a house full of girls - the second youngest of six daughters to Dom and Jan Pompei. She is remembered as the sister with dark hair, deep blue eyes and an infectious laugh.

She loved dancing and listening to music and according to her older sister Bernadette, she embraced growing up in the 80s sporting bright outfits and classic big hair.

"Saturday mornings when we were young were spent getting up early to watch Lassie and Rage. Jay loved the bright outfits of singers and copying their clothing and hairdos. Like most girls who grew up in the 80's she loved Madonna and Michael Jackson," says Bernadette.

"She started dancing classes when she was about 9 years old and before that she did gymnastics."

Bernadette says having a sister close in age as well as size was a real advantage when they were growing up as it meant the two were able to swap clothes and shoes with ease.

"Jay and I swapped clothes throughout high school - but with fights at times - then when she turned 18 we usually let the other sister keep items.

"We arrived at a cousin's wedding once and decided to swap shoes because we wore the same size and thought the others' shoes went better with our dresses.

"Another time after a friend's 21st, we swapped tops so that we could go to a club together because one looked more casual and the other more dressed up, so we kind of evened it out by swapping," says Bernadette.

Jacinta loved all forms of dance as well as keeping fit and she had an active social life.

"Jacinta loved jazz and tap dancing for many years. She tried a variety of dance styles including Zumba - her most recent and loved one was Burlesque," says Bernadette.

"She tried netball and excelled at basketball in high school. She also played football with Rec Link.

"She made friends in each environment and going to work was often a highlight of her week as she just loved being around people.

"Jay was a person who saw something and said 'I'd like to try that!' and she did.

"We had a knock on the door one day when we were in high school and there was a young good looking guy doing a recruitment drive to the Naval Cadets. Jacinta joined on the spot and committed for a couple of years.

"She got to go on huge vessels and small camps and learn some wonderful skills. Jay didn't know anyone else there to begin with, she just liked the sound of it and gave it a go.

"Jay has been a childcare worker, hairdresser, model and cheesecake maker and was most passionate about recently volunteering with Interchange in the Recreation Program."

Bernadette recalls Jacinta was also a wonderful support to her family.

"Jay was present for the birth of my eldest daughter. She tolerated my tough hand squeezes very well.

"She was a fun, dedicated and a terrific aunty. She didn't shy away from nappy duties or cleaning up horrible messes. She remembered birthdays, and even though she was always late, she always got gifts and doted on her five nieces and nephews."

Jacinta's sister Veronica agrees, saying she loved spending time with the children in the family.

"Jacinta, our Jay, was the most beautiful and accepting, non judgmental, kind and gentle person. She was carefree, appreciative, oblivious, gullible, happy and loud," says Veronica.

"She came to my aid in my low times - she was a listening ear, a chauffeur, she even shared wise words with me... 'wait and be ready to forgive' she said to me.

"The only way she got through her tough times was to think of and spend time with her sisters, to get our support and love.

"Jacinta was cheeky and fun loving, sometimes embarrassing - she'd yell out across a crowded room to say hi if she saw you.

"She loved her food and if she came for tea she'd always say 'I'll bring sweets' or tease me and say she had sticky date pudding which she knows I don't like.

"We watched lots of movies together and would play a game where we'd guess the phrase from movies. On trips we'd put loud music on to stay awake while driving and belt out tunes as loud as we could.

"Once when our Nan stayed with us and we put on a dance exercise DVD. Jacinta was the only coordinated one and we all laughed through it."

Jacinta's sister Stephanie says she remembers staying with her in Melbourne and being spoilt with milkshakes and other treats.

"She encouraged me to try new foods from all kinds of cultures. As I grew older we would always make dessert when spending time together, by buying berries, bananas and other fruits and melting chocolate for chocolate fondue. This of course was Jay's idea, as she loved her food and loved anything sweet."

Geraldine recalls when her baby sister Jacinta was born.

"We were in the waiting room for what seemed like forever, when Dad finally came and announced that Mum had given birth.

"I was six years old and I remember thinking she had the prettiest name. Jacinta is derived from the flower Hyacinth, but my parents, being devout Catholics at the time, loved the story of Our Lady of Fatima and the three Portuguese children who saw several apparitions of Mary - one of these children was named Jacinta.

"Jacinta was a creative child. She was often making things - craft, drawings, food. She also loved to brush people's hair. Our grandma Shirley would sit for hours letting Jay brush and play with her hair.

"She would love playing dress ups and I have these pictures in my head of her in a princess dress with her gumboots and sunhat on, prancing about on our rural property.

"The first time she met my husband Daniel she showed us a dance she had choreographed herself, and kept coming to show us the new moves she had added to it, she was very cute.

"Jacinta was always a messy person, she called her wardrobe her 'floordrobe' and she had so many brightly coloured clothes – everywhere!

"I remember her cooking. She made us a winter tomato and lentil soup with beautiful spices, it was delicious but there was so much to clean up. She also liked to sing for fun and she would do this very loudly and very badly, but she didn't care. She accepted herself for who she was and many others felt the benefit of this strength.

"Jacinta felt happy in her life. She was fulfilling some of her hopes and dreams; she was excited about things to come. She had a future," says Geraldine.

Despite the fact she could sometimes be frustratingly late, had a few disasters in the kitchen and her bedroom was always a mess, Jacinta was a treasured and loyal sister.

"She was a light in our lives and she was my friend. I could share everything with her and know my secrets were safe. She was loyal to the end," says Veronica.

"Jay loved passionately and never seemed to run out of room in her heart," says Bernadette.

"We'll miss you Jay but your memory will blossom forever, our beautiful precious flower."

Jacinta leaves behind sisters Patricia, Veronica, Geraldine, Bernadette and Stephanie.

Adelle Collins: 1976 - 2015

"Her kids were number one. She hoped they would just be happy."

Adelle Collins was a devoted mum, fashionista and awesome karaoke singer who loved to help others.

Born in Ireland, Adelle came to Australia as a little girl and later attended Caboolture High School in Queensland.

In her younger years she loved the inner-city lifestyle, riding her bike and going to The Paddo tavern in Brisbane.

Though she came to Australia a migrant, Adelle became a true-blue Aussie, according to friend Michelle Tee.

"She loved pavlova and Australian music artists," she says.

Her Irish blood lives on in her two children, aged 11 and 8, and is evident in her daughter's vocabulary; she insists on calling her gumboots "wellingtons" and her overalls "dungarees".

"She is so much like Adelle," Adelle's mother-in-law Karen Caruthers says. "She's a little fashion diva, just like her mum, and loves red - Adelle's favourite colour."

Sister-in-law Kylie Ferguson says Adelle and her daughter were two peas in a pod.

"They used to go get pedicures together," she says.

Adelle loved to give back and spent some of her time working as a receptionist for a specialist in health.

She had plenty of friends and kept her family close. But first and foremost, she was a mother to her children – and apparently a tickle monster too.

Adelle had two birth children and one foster child.

"She was very devoted to her children," sister-in-law Elisha says. "Her kids were number one. She hoped they would just be happy and be with all of us."

Adelle shared her first kiss with the father of her children, James Wahry, after watching a band called the Tooth Fairies at Milton Bowls Club.

"I met her at her office," he says. "I was fixing a window, I think, and overheard her talking about turtles.

"I interrupted her, saying 'I keep turtles', and then she called me 'Turtle Boy'."

Friend Lynne Fraser says Adelle loved to have a dance and took care of her appearance.

"We always joked how late she was because she was too busy getting ready doing her make-up," she says.

Michelle adds she had a fierce love of polka dots, shoes, painting and "hippy festivals". This also explains her love of rainbows and full moons.

When Adelle was not on the dance floor or redecorating her house, she was singing a tune.

"She loved karaoke. She was a beautiful singer," Karen says.

Adelle loved to sing Over the Rainbow to her children and her family says her children have been asking about karaoke and may carry on their mum's passion.

Adelle had travel plans for her family, wanting to show her children her homeland of Ireland.

Since her passing the children have taken a cruise on the Whitsundays.

"Adelle would have loved to go on a cruise," Kylie says.

The children are struggling to come to terms with their mother's death, often crying at night when they miss her most, Adelle's family reveals.

"[But] the kids have so much love around them," Elisha says.

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Notes

The women featured in this story died in 2015 in cases where police have laid charges against their partners or ex-partners, or where their partners or ex-partners have been named as the suspect in a murder-suicide.

The list of women featured here is not comprehensive. While we have made every attempt to contact the families of all of the women who have died this year, some of the victims cannot be identified due to Indigenous cultural reasons or their families reside overseas and cannot be located. Other families requested that their loved ones not be included.

Credits

Topics: community-and-society, australia

First posted