The body of a 22-year-old backpacker was found in an apparent murder-suicide authorities believe was committed by her older chef boyfriend who called his life “a living nightmare,” according to reports.
Amelia Blake, 22, met Nepali Gurung, 33, when they worked at a Brazilian restaurant, Fogo Brazilia Churrasco in Sydney last year, and eventually moved in together. Gurung was described as “weird” and “was always looking for money,” his former colleagues told the Daily Mail Australia.
The suspected killer reportedly grew “infatuated” with Blake and was “constantly talking about her.”
Their bodies were discovered in their Newtown apartment Jan. 12, in what police believe was a murder-suicide.
The UK Foreign Office released a statement Friday in which Blake’s family said they were “deeply shocked and saddened by the sudden passing” and are trying “to come to terms with losing our beautiful girl,” SBS News reported.
Gurung’s friend, Mercedes Briones, lamented the tragedy Thursday, saying she sent “best wishes and prayers to the girl that got killed.”
She added that “no one deserves to die… no one deserves to be killed or commit suicide over anything… No one deserves to reach that state of mind where life eats you up to the core. I never thought that my last goodbyes were only 2 weeks ago, I tried to help you but why would you do this?”
Blake was from Leicestershire and had been planning to travel Vietnam after her time in Australia, according to the Independent.
“I see my path but I don’t know where it leads. Not knowing where I’m going is what inspires me to travel it. Australia 2017,” Blake wrote on Instagram, according to a Facebook post by her friend, Ellie Mackness.