The killer’s chilling message revealed after the coroner described his ex-partner’s horrific death as ‘domestic violence at its worst’
- Forensic report released on the stabbing death of Ruth Mataafa in May 2020
- Coercive control is a factor leading to intimate partner homicide, report says
- Ms. Mataafa’s former partner, whose name cannot be identified, killed her and himself
- Deputy State Coroner Erin Kennedy said their behaviors needed to be recognized.
- The man was jealous and possessive of the victim before the tragedy.
A killer’s haunting message written before he stabbed his partner to death exhibited “domestic violence at its worst”, a coroner has found.
Communities and future victims must be on the lookout for warning signs, the findings of the New South Wales Coroner’s report into the death of Ruth Mataafa revealed this week.
The 22-year-old died during emergency surgery after being attacked at her ex-partner’s home in Bidwill, western Sydney, in May 2020.
Ruth Mataafa, 22, (pictured) died during emergency surgery after she was attacked at her former partner’s home in Bidwill, western Sydney, in May 2020.
The ex-boyfriend’s behavior leading up to the tragedy revealed that he displayed “acts of coercive control,” according to the Domestic Violence Deaths Review Team’s report (ex-boyfriend pictured, who cannot be identified for legal reasons)
On the day of the murder-suicide, the man went to Ms. Mataafa’s house and took her phone, which led her to her residence where her family lived (pictured)
The run-up to the tragedy revealed that the man had possessive behaviors towards Ms. Mataafa and was suicidal (in the photo, the words of his suicide message discovered by the police)
The ex-boyfriend’s behavior leading up to the tragedy revealed that he exhibited “acts of coercive control,” according to the Domestic Violence Deaths Review Team (DVDRT) report.
Deputy State Coroner Erin Kennedy said the patterns of behavior shown by couples in cases like Ms. Mataafa’s must be recognized and not tolerated so that potential violence can be prevented, the Daily Telegraph reported.
She said that coercive control, emotional manipulation and ongoing violence should be talked about more openly.
“They should not be accepted and should be identified so that the people who experience them can see them for what they really are, warning signs,” the court heard.
The ‘acts of coercive control’ were recognized as behavior displayed by her former partner, according to the DVDRT report.
Coercive control was a red flag for intimate partner homicide, which occurs in 99 percent of domestic violence homicides, according to the report.
The run up to the tragedy revealed that the man engaged in possessive behaviors towards Ms. Mataafa and was suicidal.
Three days before the May 30 murder, her former lover wrote a suicide note on her phone, showing her jealous and possessive tendencies.
“I’m sorry to everyone for what I did, I just didn’t want anyone to have Ruth,” read the message discovered by police.
Ms. Mataafa (pictured) was stabbed several times in the stomach in her bedroom by her ex-partner, while a relative tried to intervene
Ruth is too selfish to know I’m the one. I’m sorry, yeah, I just can’t stand to see Ruth with another guy, even if he’s ugly, yeah.
On the day of the murder-suicide, the man went to Ms. Mataafa’s home and took her phone, which led her to her residence where her family lived.
He then stabbed her multiple times in the stomach in her bedroom as a relative tried to intervene.
It is understood that he then turned the knife.
The man, whose name cannot be identified for legal reasons, died at the scene from stab wounds to the chest.
Police believed her parents were inside the house at the time of the attack.
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