The woman killed in a violent altercation at a beachside retreat has been identified as the couple’s descent into chaos is revealed.
Charlyze Hayter was murdered along with Jackson Gilmour, 29, inside their Parson St home in Rye, on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, in the early hours of Monday.
Gilmour was asleep when Hayter and an unknown man armed with a rifle allegedly broke into the property shortly after 4 a.m.
Mr Gilmour and Ms Hayter were shot dead in the fight, while the second man fled the scene and remains at large.
On Tuesday, Hayter’s grandfather, Bob, said his death had shaken his entire family but devastated his father.
“I loved her very much,” he told her. Herald of the sun. “This has upset the whole family.”
“Charlie was a lovely girl, she probably went down the wrong side of the road, but we hoped the best for her.
He is absolutely devastated. It’s very difficult to talk to him (Charlyze’s father) about it. She was a very bright girl at school. We had high hopes for her.”
Charlyze Hayter was killed alongside Jackson Gilmour, 29, in Rye on Monday.
Jackson ‘Jack’ Gilmour, 29, was found dead at his Rye home on Monday
An old friend of Gilmour told Daily Mail Australia he was still shocked by the death of Gilmour, a carpenter and plumber, who grew up in the region.
On Tuesday he stood outside his former partner’s property as police took away a Ford Ranger and a Holden Club Sport.
‘I just can’t believe it. “I was here yesterday too,” he said.
The friend, who wished to remain anonymous, said Gilmour’s housemate survived the shocking attack and called the police.
It is understood he hid in the bathroom after waking up to the sound of the man and woman entering the house.
The friend had been in contact with Mr Gilmour’s mother earlier that day.
‘She can’t believe it. She just denies it,’ he said.
It is understood that Gilmour had isolated himself from his former colleagues in the months before his death for fear he had fallen in with a “bad crowd”.
“(His mother) doesn’t know,” his friend said. “She believes he simply defended himself in a domestic violence situation.”
The friend said it would be news to him if Gilmour had access to a firearm.
“I didn’t know he had a damn gun, that’s for sure,” he said.
His friend claimed Mr Gilmour looked “different” the last time he saw him alive.
I saw him a month or two ago. He was no longer the same,’ he said. “You don’t want to associate yourself with that stuff.”
Charlyze Hayter has been identified as the woman murdered in a home invasion in Rye
Charlyze Hayter had gotten involved with the wrong people before her death
A white tow truck arrived to tow a white Holden that was parked on the property.
A black Ford Ranger was also removed from the scene.
The friend declined to speculate what he believed Mr Gilmour had been involved in in the final days of his life.
“I don’t want to get in trouble,” he said.
After breaking into the property, it is understood Ms Hayter hit Mr Gilmour with a baton and demanded he hand over his wallet and other personal belongings while she rummaged through his drawers.
Mr. Gilmour then reportedly shot him and the intruder shot himself.
Gilmour and Hayter were treated by paramedics, but both died at the scene.
Police, who are still working to pursue the second man, say they believe Gilmour knew the suspects and that the incident was a “targeted” attack.
Detectives remained at the crime scene Tuesday, thoroughly examining the property for any evidence possibly left behind by her killer.
While officers were cleaning out a garage, two spooky images, one with a rabbit and one with a skull, could be seen mounted on the wall.
Mr Gilmour, who was affectionately known as Jack to his friends, had lived on the Mornington Peninsula for more than 10 years.
A friend said Gilmour had recently “changed” after starting to socialize with a new group of people.
Strange paintings of a rabbit and a skull could be seen on a wall inside the garage on Tuesday.
Property records show he moved into the three-bedroom rental property in December of last year.
Neighbors said there were frequently cars “coming and going” from the property.
A relative told Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday that Gilmour’s family is “shocked” and continues to seek information about the chain of events that led to his death.
Detective Superintendent Janet Stevenson said the second man is He is believed to have left in a vehicle and may still be armed.
“We don’t know if there is still a firearm in circulation (and) we assume there was a hit-and-run car,” he told reporters Monday.
“We are trying to discover the identity of the man and are appealing to anyone who was in that area this morning and saw anything.
“If you have dashcam or CCTV footage please contact us or Crime Stoppers.”
Detectives could be seen scouring the area for evidence as they worked the crime scene.
Forensic officers are seen examining a car with a P plate that was parked outside the property.
Detective Superintendent Stevenson said police are yet to determine what led the pair to break into the house, but one line of inquiry was whether drugs were involved.
He said police are still investigating how many people were in the home at the time and where the weapons involved in the shooting came from.
Mr Gilmour was known to police, but Detective Stevenson would not confirm the nature of the previous interactions.
Court records show Gilmour had faced court several times this year over two separate matters.
One of the matters came before Dromana Magistrates Court just two weeks ago.
Anyone who witnessed the incident or has information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.