The brother of a 23-year-old woman found dead in her Mernda home on Monday morning alleges she was stalked by an “obsessed” former colleague in the months before her death.
Celeste Manno was allegedly stabbed to death by a home intruder who broke into her home around 4.10am.
The Age reports a 35-year-old man was arrested after he attended Mernda Police Station that morning.
He was placed under police guard in hospital and received treatment for non-life-threatening injuries.
The man has not been charged.
Victoria Police believe the pair were known to each other, and an investigation is underway.
Manno’s brother Alessandro, 19, alleged she had been harassed over social media by a former coworker who was fired from the Mill Park call centre where Manno served as a team leader.
“He got fired and she wasn’t close with him at all but just to give him some support she walked him out the door,” Alessandro Manno told The Age on Tuesday.
“And ever since that day he has just been obsessed with her.”
He said Manno blocked the man’s social media profile, but he fabricated a number of false accounts to continue contacting her.
Manno had reached out to police to discuss the matter before her death, Alessandro Manno said.
Her father, Tony Manno, said it was on the government to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
“It’s got to be changed,” he said.
“It won’t bring her back but it’s got to be changed. Too many scenarios have already happened.
“What’s it going to take for the government to listen? It’s not right. It’s got to stop.”
Her family described her as an extremely bright and positive person.
Her elder brother Jayden, 33, said there wasn’t a “soul on this Earth who could ever say a bad thing” about her.
She was due to celebrate her 24th birthday on Sunday.
