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Daughter stands by father who killed her Kiwi mother

Author
Rohan Smith, news.com.au,
Publish Date
Sun, 8 Dec 2019, 3:12PM
Convicted killer Borce Ristevski with his wife, Karen (left), and daughter, Sarah. (Photo / News Ltd)
Convicted killer Borce Ristevski with his wife, Karen (left), and daughter, Sarah. (Photo / News Ltd)

Daughter stands by father who killed her Kiwi mother

Author
Rohan Smith, news.com.au,
Publish Date
Sun, 8 Dec 2019, 3:12PM

Sarah Ristevski's love for her killer father is unquestioned. But in court on Friday, it was clear she was at odds with the rest of the family.

It's impossible to question Sarah Ristevski's love for her father despite what he has done.

The only daughter of Borce and Kiwi Karen Ristevski has never wavered in support of the man who killed her mother, discarded her body in bushland and lied to his family about his involvement.

She did not change her tune when the 55-year-old admitted to killing his wife.

And she is not about to take a different path now.

Sarah Ristevski exits the funeral service for her mum Karen with a photograph of her. Photo / News Corp Australia

Sarah Ristevski exits the funeral service for her mum Karen with a photograph of her. Photo / News Corp Australia

But her resolute backing of the convicted killer – who on Friday had four years added to his nine-year jail term for refusing to tell authorities why or how he killed Karen — has her on the outside of a family divided by what Borce has done.

The split was never more evident than when Sarah walked into court on Friday alone, reports news.com.au.

Wearing a grey jumper and clutching a cream-coloured scarf, she took a seat at the very back of the court.

Seated four rows in front of her was Karen's brother Stephen Williams and his supporters. Next to Williams was police informant Timothy Day.

Sarah did not flinch when Court of Appeal Chief Justice Anne Ferguson told the court that Borce would not be free until 2027 at the earliest.

Borce Ristevski with his wife Karen. Photo / Facebook

Borce Ristevski with his wife Karen. Photo / Facebook

On a monitor at the other end of the room, Borce turned red as the decision was read out. Sarah grabbed her things, stood and walked out a separate exit to the rest of her family.

Williams told reporters he wished Victoria had the death penalty. Sarah avoided the media.

What else is there for her to say? Her position is crystal clear and unchanging.

In a revealing character reference that was read on her behalf at Borce's sentencing in March, Sarah wrote that the pair were "inseparable".

"I visited him every week and talked to him on the phone at least twice a day since his arrest in December 2017," she wrote.

The glowing reference discussed themes including her childhood memories and how "the love" and marriage her parents shared was "something I hope to one day experience myself".

"If I could use a few words to describe my dad's personality they would be loving, caring, sympathetic, protective and charismatic," she wrote.

"When I was really young dad would get me up every morning and make sure I was ready for school. He did my hair, ironed my uniform and packed my lunch before driving me to and from school every day. He drove me to all of my extra-curricular activities and stayed to watch all of my sport activities even though I wasn't very good."

Karen with daughter Sarah Ristevski, who stood by her dad. Photo / via NewsCorp

Karen with daughter Sarah Ristevski, who stood by her dad. Photo / via NewsCorp

But other family members, including Karen's aunt Patricia Gray and her cousin Nevada Knight, clearly don't feel the same way.

The pair, who avoided court on Friday, told an earlier hearing they had lost all respect for the man who took his wife's life.

Knight told the Victorian Supreme Court she had lost 15kg "by going days and weeks without being able to move" after Karen went missing.

"I would vomit every time I moved," she said.

She spoke of sitting behind Borce at Karen's funeral and being hugged by the man who killed her.

"I hugged him standing over her body at her gravesite where he whispered, 'Thank you for coming, your support means a lot'."

Karen Ristevski with her husband and killer Borce. Photo / Supplied

Karen Ristevski with her husband and killer Borce. Photo / Supplied

She told him he was not remorseful and had only admitted to killing his wife "when it suited your case".

"You've had almost three years to come forward. That's not remorse. That's selfishness."

The relationship between Borce and Sarah was again mentioned on Friday, albeit briefly.

"He participated in a media conference in which he comforted his visibly distressed daughter," Chief Justice Ferguson said of the day Borce played loving dad for the cameras.

And it was no doubt difficult for Sarah to hear.

 

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