Friends and family of Karen Ristevski gathered at a private funeral service to farewell the Melbourne mother.
News.com.au reports that despite the fact that her husband Borce is one of the key suspects in her murder at the moment, he was one of the pallbearers, joined by her brother Steve.
Borce Ristevski’s lawyer Rob Stary told Fairfax that “it’s pretty clear police have him as their number one suspect”, however Borce has maintained his innocence.
Ristevski’s 21-year-old daughter Sarah also made her first public appearance since her mother was killed. She walked out of the funeral service carrying a photo of her mum.
The hearse passed the family’s home and placed a single white rose in their mailbox.
As the search for Karen Ristevski’s killer continues, detectives recently seized a shovel form the family home she shared with husband, Borce Ristevski and their daughter, Sarah.
The Herald Sun reports that a soil sample from the shovel matches earth found in the Mount Macedon region where Mrs Risvtevski’s remains were found this week.
Another sample reportedly matched with soil behind the family home.
Victorian police however have refused to comment on the report, saying “the investigation is continuing and it would be inappropriate to provide a running commentary”.
RELATED: Police Confirm Karen Ristevski’s Body Has Been Found
The soil however could be a major breakthrough in the case according to CSIRO Centre for Australian Forensic Soil Science director Dr Rob Fitzpatrick.
“Let’s say there was a murder on the pitch at the MCG: that type of soil would be unique to that area of grass,” Dr Fitzpatrick told the Herald Sun.
“Each type of soil has its own specific characteristics, so it is possible to tell the difference.”
News Corp reports that a local man has claimed there was a “man with a shovel” seen in the area last December.
Mrs Ristevski disappeared from her Avondale Heights home back on June 29, 2016 and on Monday police confirmed her body had been found in dense Victorian bushland 65km north of Melbourne and 52km from where she was last seen.
“Police can confirm the human remains found at Mount Macedon yesterday are that of missing Avondale Heights woman Karen Ristevski,” Victoria Police said on Tuesday afternoon.
Mrs Ristevski’s cousin Lisa Gray told Fairfax that the family were devastated over the news and described her as a “generous and loving person”.
She says the family will “do everything we can to assist police to help find the person responsible.”
“Karen was such a beautiful, kind, generous and loving person. I would like to thank the police, the SES and everyone else who has helped us through this time,” she added.
Her aunt Patricia Gray added that they are “happy we found her. Devastated that’s how she was discarded”.
“How a person such as Karen, so full of love, life and laughter, could be left, abandoned, discarded with no thought or emotion shown is unforgivable,” she said.
Mrs Ristevski was last seen on June 29 as she walked out of her home in Melbourne’s northwest at around 10am after an argument with her husband over money.
The last thing Ristevski reportedly told her husband, 52-year-old Borse Ristevski, was “I’m going to go and clear my head.”
Investigations are still ongoing as to what happened to the 47-year-old.
