Latest news with #Warana
News.com.au
3 days ago
- News.com.au
Coastal haven rocked: The alleged home invasion that ended in murder
Zdravko 'Zed' Bilic was likely enjoying a peaceful Sunday night in, unwinding alone inside his beachside Warana home just metres from the shore. But within hours, the 57-year-old would be fatally stabbed, allegedly confronting two teenage intruders. A horrifying act that has shattered his family, stunned the community and led to two boys being charged with murder. Police allege Mr Bilic was confronted by two teenage boys, aged 15 and 17, who had broken into the Napalle St property about 11.30pm on July 13. According to detectives, the boys stole the keys to Mr Bilic's car and, during a confrontation, stabbed him twice in the abdomen. Mr Bilic's wife, skincare business founder Gry Tomte, was interstate on a business trip at the time and became concerned when she couldn't reach him. She asked a neighbour to check in. What the neighbour found the following evening, about 7.30pm on Monday, was devastating: Mr Bilic's body lying on the front lawn. Authorities believe he may have been there for several hours. Sunshine Coast Detective Inspector Chris Toohey told media the altercation appeared to have begun inside the house before spilling onto the front yard. 'As a result of that altercation, he received two fatal stab wounds,' Inspector Toohey said. Mr Bilic, originally from Europe, was a deeply loved figure on the Sunshine Coast, known for his kind nature, volunteer work as a junior soccer coach and infectious positivity. His death has left a gaping hole in the lives of many. His wife of more than two decades, Ms Tomte, has spoken openly about the unimaginable heartache she now faces. 'There is no way I can capture the immense grief I feel over losing the most beautiful man … he was my everything,' she said on social media. In a formal statement released via police, she described him as 'the kindest, gentlest person I've ever known'. 'He was my entire world for 28 years … The world is a little less bright without him in it,' Ms Tomte said. The heartbreak she now carries is shared across the community. Tributes have poured in from friends, neighbours and teammates from Mr Bilic's local soccer clubs, where he was fondly known as 'Zed'. One teammate remembered him as a 'beautiful man with a smile and presence that would light up a room'. Another said, 'You couldn't not like him.' 'His smile and his sparkly eyes made you comfortable the minute you met him,' they said. As police scoured the Sunshine Coast and beyond, the investigation quickly led to two suspects. Officers allege the teenagers committed multiple break-ins in the days prior to Mr Bilic's death, including properties in Brisbane and on the coast. Using mobile phone tracking data, detectives followed a trail that stretched more than 100km. The 17-year-old was arrested after getting off a bus in Toowoomba. The 15-year-old was apprehended in Chermside. Police also claim to have recovered the knife believed to be the murder weapon that is undergoing forensic analysis. Detective Inspector Toohey said the investigation was 'multifaceted' and ongoing, involving interviews with youths across the region to build a complete picture. 'We will allege two youths entered Mr Bilic's house on Sunday night in relation to a break and enter,' Inspector Toohey said. 'We are still talking to people around the community and a lot of youths around the Sunshine Coast.' The teenagers were charged with murder and break-and-enter offences, with the matters mentioned in Maroochydore Children's Court on Thursday. Both were remanded in custody, with a committal mention set for September 10. The court was told both boys came from troubled backgrounds. One is under his relative's guardianship, with both parents in jail. The other is in the long-term care of the Department of Child Safety. During the court proceedings, lawyers raised concerns over incorrectly signed DNA applications, one by a relative instead of a legal guardian. The applications were withdrawn and are expected to be refiled. Under Queensland's 'adult crime, adult time' laws, introduced after the 2024 election, a juvenile convicted of murder faces a mandatory life sentence. While the legal process begins to unfold, the community is still grappling with the loss of a man who was widely admired, loved and respected. Ms Tomte recalled how Mr Bilic, who had recently moved with her from Melbourne, had a habit of stopping to help anyone in need, even lost dogs on the street. 'He was the kind of man who on several occasions would quickly detour when we saw a lost dog, whether on a bike or in a car, and without hesitation footy tackle them to stop them in their tracks to make sure we could get them home safely to their families,' Ms Tomte said. She said he was an 'exceptional male role model' through his work with Ginger Sport, where he was loved by the children he coached across Sunshine Coast childcare centres. 'It was so clear to me and everyone who saw this that he was a superhero to the little kids he worked with,' she said. 'Whether we were walking on the beach, going to the mall, or visiting the zoo, there would always be a little, enthusiastic excited voice yelling 'Coach Zed, Coach Zed!'' In one of his public posts, Mr Bilic had written about how excited he was to start a new chapter of life on the Sunshine Coast after moving from Melbourne. 'There is a new chapter in our life and it starts with a move to the Sunshine Coast,' he wrote in March 2022. 'Definitely will miss the day-to-day Melbourne way … but we are super excited with our new adventure.' That new chapter was cruelly cut short. Police say Warana remains one of the safest parts of the Sunshine Coast, but this incident has rattled that sense of security. 'We pride ourselves on having, trying to maintain a safer environment for all our residents,' Inspector Toohey said. 'So (Mr Bilic's death) is a shock. It makes us more vigilant to maintain that level of safety and make sure that we hold the (alleged) offenders to account.' Queensland Premier David Crisafulli and Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie offered their condolences. Mr Bleijie called the crime 'sickening'. For Ms Tomte, no words can capture what's been lost. 'From the moment we met … we knew instantly we were each other's 'person',' Ms Tomte said. 'He was loved by more people than I can put into words. If you've had the privilege of being in Zed's presence, you'll know that he was literal sunshine.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
‘Superhero': How stabbing rocked community
Zdravko 'Zed' Bilic was likely enjoying a peaceful Sunday night in, unwinding alone inside his beachside Warana home just metres from the shore. But within hours, the 57-year-old would be fatally stabbed, allegedly confronting two teenage intruders. A horrifying act that has shattered his family, stunned the community and led to two boys being charged with murder. Police allege Mr Bilic was confronted by two teenage boys, aged 15 and 17, who had broken into the Napalle St property about 11.30pm on July 13. According to detectives, the boys stole the keys to Mr Bilic's car and, during a confrontation, stabbed him twice in the abdomen. Mr Bilic's wife, skincare business founder Gry Tomte, was interstate on a business trip at the time and became concerned when she couldn't reach him. She asked a neighbour to check in. What the neighbour found the following evening, about 7.30pm on Monday, was devastating: Mr Bilic's body lying on the front lawn. Authorities believe he may have been there for several hours. Sunshine Coast Detective Inspector Chris Toohey told media the altercation appeared to have begun inside the house before spilling onto the front yard. 'As a result of that altercation, he received two fatal stab wounds,' Inspector Toohey said. Mr Bilic, originally from Europe, was a deeply loved figure on the Sunshine Coast, known for his kind nature, volunteer work as a junior soccer coach and infectious positivity. His death has left a gaping hole in the lives of many. His wife of more than two decades, Ms Tomte, has spoken openly about the unimaginable heartache she now faces. 'There is no way I can capture the immense grief I feel over losing the most beautiful man … he was my everything,' she said on social media. In a formal statement released via police, she described him as 'the kindest, gentlest person I've ever known'. 'He was my entire world for 28 years … The world is a little less bright without him in it,' Ms Tomte said. The heartbreak she now carries is shared across the community. Tributes have poured in from friends, neighbours and teammates from Mr Bilic's local soccer clubs, where he was fondly known as 'Zed'. One teammate remembered him as a 'beautiful man with a smile and presence that would light up a room'. Another said, 'You couldn't not like him.' 'His smile and his sparkly eyes made you comfortable the minute you met him,' they said. As police scoured the Sunshine Coast and beyond, the investigation quickly led to two suspects. Officers allege the teenagers committed multiple break-ins in the days prior to Mr Bilic's death, including properties in Brisbane and on the coast. Using mobile phone tracking data, detectives followed a trail that stretched more than 100km. The 17-year-old was arrested after getting off a bus in Toowoomba. The 15-year-old was apprehended in Chermside. Police also claim to have recovered the knife believed to be the murder weapon that is undergoing forensic analysis. Detective Inspector Toohey said the investigation was 'multifaceted' and ongoing, involving interviews with youths across the region to build a complete picture. 'We will allege two youths entered Mr Bilic's house on Sunday night in relation to a break and enter,' Inspector Toohey said. 'We are still talking to people around the community and a lot of youths around the Sunshine Coast.' The teenagers were charged with murder and break-and-enter offences, with the matters mentioned in Maroochydore Children's Court on Thursday. Both were remanded in custody, with a committal mention set for September 10. The court was told both boys came from troubled backgrounds. One is under his relative's guardianship, with both parents in jail. The other is in the long-term care of the Department of Child Safety. During the court proceedings, lawyers raised concerns over incorrectly signed DNA applications, one by a relative instead of a legal guardian. The applications were withdrawn and are expected to be refiled. Under Queensland's 'adult crime, adult time' laws, introduced after the 2024 election, a juvenile convicted of murder faces a mandatory life sentence. While the legal process begins to unfold, the community is still grappling with the loss of a man who was widely admired, loved and respected. Ms Tomte recalled how Mr Bilic, who had recently moved with her from Melbourne, had a habit of stopping to help anyone in need, even lost dogs on the street. 'He was the kind of man who on several occasions would quickly detour when we saw a lost dog, whether on a bike or in a car, and without hesitation footy tackle them to stop them in their tracks to make sure we could get them home safely to their families,' Ms Tomte said. She said he was an 'exceptional male role model' through his work with Ginger Sport, where he was loved by the children he coached across Sunshine Coast childcare centres. 'It was so clear to me and everyone who saw this that he was a superhero to the little kids he worked with,' she said. 'Whether we were walking on the beach, going to the mall, or visiting the zoo, there would always be a little, enthusiastic excited voice yelling 'Coach Zed, Coach Zed!'' In one of his public posts, Mr Bilic had written about how excited he was to start a new chapter of life on the Sunshine Coast after moving from Melbourne. 'There is a new chapter in our life and it starts with a move to the Sunshine Coast,' he wrote in March 2022. 'Definitely will miss the day-to-day Melbourne way … but we are super excited with our new adventure.' That new chapter was cruelly cut short. Police say Warana remains one of the safest parts of the Sunshine Coast, but this incident has rattled that sense of security. 'We pride ourselves on having, trying to maintain a safer environment for all our residents,' Inspector Toohey said. 'So (Mr Bilic's death) is a shock. It makes us more vigilant to maintain that level of safety and make sure that we hold the (alleged) offenders to account.' Queensland Premier David Crisafulli and Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie offered their condolences. Mr Bleijie called the crime 'sickening'. For Ms Tomte, no words can capture what's been lost. 'From the moment we met … we knew instantly we were each other's 'person',' Ms Tomte said. 'He was loved by more people than I can put into words. If you've had the privilege of being in Zed's presence, you'll know that he was literal sunshine.'
ABC News
6 days ago
- ABC News
Wife of Sunshine Coast man Zdravko 'Zed' Bilic pays tribute to her 'entire world'
The wife of slain Sunshine Coast man Zradvko "Zed" Bilic has paid tribute to her husband, who she said was her "entire world". Two teenagers have been arrested and charged over the 57-year-old's death on Sunday night. Mr Bilic was alone at his Warana home, while his wife Gry Tømte was interstate. Police will allege Mr Bilic was fatally stabbed during a break and enter. His body was discovered on Monday night, after his wife asked a neighbour to check the home when she had not heard from her husband. On Thursday afternoon, Ms Tømte released a statement through police. In the statement, she said the void Mr Bilic, or Zed as he was affectionately known, had left behind was "unbearable". "Zed was my entire world for 28 years," she wrote. "From the moment we met, both of us living away from family in the new country we had fallen in love with, we knew instantly we were each other's person. "We were complete opposites — and together we made a whole." Ms Tømte runs a successful beauty business, with clinics in St Kilda and Northcote in Melbourne. The couple moved to the Sunshine Coast three years ago, but regularly travelled back for work and to see family and friends. "People say I'm the strong one — but I could only be strong because he allowed me to be, and because he wrapped his arms around me daily to make sure I could," she wrote. Ms Tømte described Mr Bilic's love of soccer and how he rarely missed a Melbourne Victory game. "He was the MLP [most loved person] in his soccer teams — both in Melbourne and on the Sunshine Coast," she wrote. "And he loved them right back. He was the kind of friend who would drop everything to help anyone. "And even if you weren't his friend, if he saw you on the street, he'd smile and have a chat." Ms Tømte said Mr Bilic's biggest legacy was the one he left behind with his work at Ginger Sport. "He was an exceptional male role model for the kids he worked with at the early childhood centres up here on the coast," she wrote. "Whether we were walking on the beach, going to the mall, or visiting the zoo, there would always be a little, enthusiastic, excited voice yelling 'Coach Zed, Coach Zed!' "It was so clear to me and everyone who saw this that he was a superhero to the little kids he worked with." Ms Tømte has now returned to the Sunshine Coast, and has thanked the community for its support, but has asked for privacy while she grieves. "If you've had the privilege of being in Zed's presence, you'll know that he was literal sunshine," she wrote.
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Daily Mail
Skincare mogul reveals heartbreaking 11-word comment after husband Zdravko Bilic was allegedly stabbed to death - as video emerges of two teens being arrested
A skincare mogul whose husband was allegedly stabbed to death has revealed the heartbreaking 11-word comment her neighbour made after the horrific attack. Zdravko Bilic, 57, was found dead by a neighbour in the front yard of his home on Queensland 's Sunshine Coast in the suburb of Warana at about 7.35pm on Monday. He is believed to have been stabbed twice in the stomach after allegedly confronting a thief breaking into their $2.5million five-bedroom home. His wife Gry Tomte, who founded successful HÜD Skin and Body clinic, released a full statement through Queensland Police describing the 'unbearable void' left behind. 'Zed was my entire world for 28 years,' she said on Thursday. 'From the moment we met, both of us living away from family in the new country we had fallen in love with, we knew instantly we were each others' 'person'. 'We were complete opposites – and together we made a whole.' Ms Tomte described the love others had for her husband, who was the MLP (most loved person) in his soccer teams. She said a neighbour made an 11-word comment that captured how beloved Mr Bilic had been: 'No offence Gry, but he was the whole street's favourite person.' Ms Tomte said her husband's biggest legacy is his work with Ginger Sport, a weekly soccer organisation for children in Queensland. 'Coach Zed as he was known, he was an exceptional male role model for the kids he worked with at the early childhood centres up here on the coast,' she said. 'Whether we were walking on the beach, going to the mall, or visiting the zoo – there would always be a little, enthusiastic excited voice yelling 'coach zed, coach zed!'.' She also described how some of the children he taught would tease each other with the joking accusation 'stinky socks'. He was her 'superhero', she said, recalling how he would 'drop everything to help anyone' or detour when he saw a lost dog. 'If you've had the privilege of being in Zed's presence, you'll know that he was literal sunshine. And the world is a little less bright without him in it,' she said. Her statement came following the news that police had charged two teenage boys, aged 15 and 17, with murder on Thursday morning. Footage shared by Queensland Police revealed one of the boys was arrested as he walked off a bus. The other boy was arrested on the street during the night. Detectives believe his body lay in the home's front yard for hours before his worried wife, who was interstate at the time, raised the alarm when she didn't hear from him. Sunshine Coast Detective Inspector Chris Toohey told reporters the boys allegedly stole items, such as Mr Bilic's car keys, before being confronted by him. It is alleged an altercation may have started inside the home before Mr Bilic ended up on the front lawn, reported. Insp Toohey also said the two teenagers had been charged with break-and-enter offences two days before the alleged stabbing which were unrelated. 'We will allege they broke into another address on the Sunshine Coast as well as another in Brisbane,' he said. The investigation remains ongoing. The glamorous couple, who were due to celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary next month, had relocated from Melbourne in 2022 to begin their 'new adventure'. 'I think two years of continuous lockdown and bull***t really took away the shine for me re Melbourne,' Ms Tomte, 53, wrote on social media at the time. 'We are both so happy we made the decision. And now friends can visit our beautiful new home.' The lavish luxury home boasts a stunning lap pool next to the open-plan entertaining area and was just metres from the nearby beach. It was a welcome escape from the bleak lockdowns in Victoria, and both said they were 'so happy,' with their new lifestyle. 'I had the pleasure of calling Melbourne home for almost half my life,' Mr Bilic, known as Zed by friends, posted on Instagram. 'So many fantastic memories with beautiful family and friends at some great events and places.'
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
Two kids charged with murder, man dead
Two teenagers have been charged with the murder of a man who was found stabbed to death in front of his Sunshine Coast mansion. Zdravko Bilic, 57, was found unresponsive by a neighbour in the front yard of a home in Napalle St in Warana about 7.35pm on Monday. Police said he sustained two stab wounds to his abdomen. Police now allege there was a disturbance at the Napalle St home, leading to Mr Bilic being stabbed. A 15-year-old West Woombye boy and a 17-year-old Beerwah boy have since been charged with murder. They are set to appear in Maroochydore Childrens Court on Thursday. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Detectve Inspector Chris Toohey said Mr Bilic was home alone at the time. He said Mr Bilic's wife, skincare entrepreneur Gry Susann Tomte, was away on a business trip and raised the alarm when she had not heard from her husband for some time. '(Ms Tomte) was concerned because she hadn't heard from him and as a result spoke to the neighbour who made the emergency call,' he said. He said police were investigating multiple lines of inquiry, including whether Mr Bilic's body had been lying in front of the house for several hours before he was found by the neighbour. Police were focusing on the window between 11pm on Sunday and 7pm to 7.30pm on Monday. Mr Bilic and Ms Tomte purchased the Sunshine Coast mansion for $2.5m in December 2021 before settling into the home in March the following year. Inspector Toohey said Mr Bilic was a 'valued member of the community' and that his 'terrible' death shocked their neighbours. 'He is a community-minded person that was well-loved in the area,' he told reporters. MsTomte, who is originally from Norway and co-founder of Melbourne-based skincare company HUD Skin and Body, which has clinics in St Kilda and Northcote. She told 9News her husband was the 'kindest, gentlest person I've ever known'. 'Loved by everyone who ever had the fortune of meeting him,' she said. Inspector Toohey said the Sunshine Coast was a 'very safe community'. Warana is considered one of the safest areas of the Sunshine Coast, known for its up-market homes and stretches of beaches. 'We pride ourselves on having, trying to maintain a safer environment for all our residents and of course being a tourist destination - we also like for people coming to visit to feel safe,' Inspector Toohey said. 'So (Mr Bilic's death) is a shock. 'It makes us more vigilant to maintain that level of safety and make sure that we hold the (alleged) offenders to account.'
