A MAN suspected of stabbing his de facto partner of 18 years to death in broad daylight is still believed to be in the local area, as top level discussions take place over whether to release his identity to the public.
The mother of four from West Melton was shockingly murdered in front of her teenage son, only moments after taking legal steps to protect herself.
The frenzied knife attack unfolded as she walked along a busy Sunshine shopping strip.
Police are still searching for the North Sunshine man, who they suspect is responsible.
Det-Sen-Sgt Stuart Bailey said the man, who is known to police and has a history of domestic violence, has no form of transport and is closely linked to the local area.
He was captured on CCTV fleeing the area.
“He is not going to hand himself in … so it is a manhunt,” Sen-Sgt Bailey told 3AW radio today.
Victorian Premier Denis Napthine has been in discussions with Chief Commissioner Ken Lay over whether to release the man’s image and name amid legal restrictions and privacy concerns.
A decision is expected to be made later today.
Horrified onlookers, including the pair’s son, watched as the woman was repeatedly stabbed in the chest with a fishing knife about 12.25pm.
Paramedics tried to save the woman, but she went into cardiac arrest and could not be revived.
The couple, who have four children, had attended Sunshine Magistrates’ Court earlier in the day “over a dispute”, police said.
They said the victim left court and went to a woman’s refuge, before visiting her solicitor’s office in Hampshire Rd.
Three minutes after she left her lawyer’s office, she was stabbed.
Sen-Sgt Bailey said it was an “atrocious crime”.
“There has been domestic violence issues between the two before,” he said.
“We have some kind of dispute that occurred in court today.
“We were hoping that the dispute would have been resolved by the court itself but this de facto has taken it into his own hands to try and resolve that in his own way, it’s escalated and she’s been fatally stabbed.”
He could not discuss the reasons behind their court appearance because of legal reasons.
Sen-Sgt Bailey said the father was last seen heading west on Devonshire Rd, where he crashed his car into another vehicle, before speeding off.
A search of the area found his green Holden Barina car dumped about 1km away in Anderson’s Rd, Sunshine about 3.30pm.
The weapon was found in a nearby gully.
But he was nowhere in sight.
Police said the man is understood to live with his parents at a North Sunshine address.
Ten witnesses, including the teenage son, last night gave statements to detectives at Sunshine police station.
Residents and shopkeepers were horrified that such a violent attack had happened.
“I’m just in shock,” one woman said.
“I knew Sunshine could be bad, but I never imagined this would happen, particularly in the middle of the day.”
The killing has sparked outrage from Victoria’s peak body for domestic violence services for women and children.
Domestic Violence Victoria Fiona McCormack said, “Enough is enough. I’m really furious but also upset.
“These four children have been left without a mother.
“It’s time something is done about it. How many more murders do we need for the Victorian Government to act?”
She said there were 29 family violence-related death in Victoria last year.
Anyone with information about yesterday’s murder is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestoppers.com.au