The man accused of murdering his girlfriend is alleged to have killed her up to 48 hours before her family found him barricaded inside their home next to her lifeless body.
Nikkita Azzopardi, 35, was found stabbed to death at her South Morang home in Melbourne’s northeast on Monday after her relatives were unable to contact her.
Joel Micallef, 33, is accused of murdering Azzopardi between Saturday and Monday before his father and brothers broke down the door of his home to enter.
Apparently, they were faced with the gruesome sight of Micallef with his bloodied body.
Micallef was due to appear in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court for a brief presentation hearing on Wednesday but was unable to attend as he is in hospital suffering from “health complications”.
A lone bouquet of flowers lay outside the couple’s home on Reid Street, where Micallef is accused of murdering his partner.
Neighbors told Daily Mail Australia they had no idea Micallef had lived inside the property.
“We never saw him,” said a neighbor. “We had no idea he even lived there.”
Neighbors described Mrs. Azzopardi as a friendly neighbor who always stopped to say hello.
Joel Micallef (right) has been charged with murder following the discovery of the body of his two-year-old girlfriend (left)
Located in a block of units, residents within the complex claimed they were unaware of any domestic problems within the home.
“Apparently the house was in his name, but I never saw it,” said a neighbor.
‘Which seems strange to me because he must have been hibernating there. I don’t know, but I would watch it. I greeted her a week ago.
Neighbors said they did not hear any sounds from inside the house between Saturday and the discovery of her body on Monday.
‘I didn’t hear anything. “Nothing,” said a neighbor. “She never mentioned anything to anyone.”
It is understood Ms Azzopardi’s loved ones faced a devastating scene as they broke through a barricade to enter the house.
“Apparently it was pretty bad,” one neighbor said. ‘His brother came in and it was quite a mess… it’s quite shocking. I didn’t expect it at all.
“The body was there for (up to) two days.”
A brief of evidence collected by police against Micallef will be delivered to court on January 22, and the alleged killer is expected to appear in court in March.
Micallef is accused of murdering Ms Azzopardi sometime between Saturday and Monday when her body was found.
No information about how detectives presented their case against Micallef was relayed in court. The court heard Micallef’s expected stay in prison will be his first experience behind bars.
Her alleged victim was found by her two brothers and her father after they headed to her house when she didn’t show up for a family barbecue the night before.
A lone bouquet of flowers was placed in front of Ms Azzopardi’s home in South Morang on Wednesday.
Azzopardi’s family went looking for her after she didn’t show up to a family barbecue and didn’t respond to calls.
It is alleged that they confronted Micallef there after he had blocked a door.
Shaun, Azzopardi’s older brother, burst through the door and found her body.
Micallef, Azzopardi’s boyfriend of two years, was arrested at the scene and taken to hospital where he underwent medical evaluations.
Police interviewed Micallef throughout Monday and charged him with one count of murder on Tuesday afternoon.
Shaun described Ms. Azzopardi as a gentle soul who would help anyone.
“He would do anything for anyone…he didn’t see the bad in people and he always saw the good,” Azzopardi said.
Police slapped Micallef with the charge following his arrest on Monday.
Police are understood to be investigating the nature of the relationship and the living conditions of Micallef and Azzopardi.
On Monday, detectives were seen carrying items, including a safe, from the Reid Street home, as specialists worked to determine how and when the 35-year-old was murdered.
Shaun Azzopardi arrived with family members in the afternoon to collect Mrs. Azzopardi’s car and belongings.
On Monday, he told reporters that he had tried to contact his sister by phone.
Azzopardi took his father and brother to the house to look for his sister, but said they found the doors allegedly blocked by chairs.
He described his sister as a “kind soul.”
“You think it won’t happen to you, your sister, your brother, but I won’t see my sister again.”
The last time she saw her sister alive was 10 days earlier, at her son’s 15th birthday, which she hosted at a go-karting venue.
Investigators were seen removing a safe from the home as detectives continued their work Tuesday.
Detectives worked at the property for two days to investigate Azzopardi’s death.
Shaun Azzopardi said his sister’s death “doesn’t seem real” as he tries to stay strong for his distraught family.
“In hindsight, if you knew it was the last time, you would be doing more, you would be asking more, you would be taking pictures,” he said.
“I don’t know my father’s status, my mother’s status, my brother’s status. How do you get over this, how do you get over it?”
Azzopardi said “it doesn’t seem real.” I’m trying to stay strong.’
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