Preethi Reddy went missing after attending a dental conference with her ex-partner. Photo / Facebook via news.com.au
The boyfriend of murdered dentist Preethi Reddy has posted a moving tribute after her body was found stuffed in a suitcase and her ex died in a car crash.
Dr Reddy's current partner, Sunny Vemula, this afternoon took to Facebook to post a photo of the couple with a short message.
"I'll see you again one day … and we'll continue where we left off my angel," Mr Vemula wrote.
Just two days earlier, Mr Vemula had posted a desperate plea on Facebook, in search of his then-missing girlfriend.
"URGENT — Super worried," he wrote on March 4.
"Do any of my dental friends (especially IAADENT ones) know the whereabouts of my Preethi Reddy please? She was last heard of Sunday 3rd March morning in Sydney and should have been home within a few hours but has not turned up yet.
"Her family and I are very concerned for her safety."
Dr Reddy's remains were found in a suitcase inside her car in laneway at Kingsgate in Sydney's eastern suburbs just before 9.30pm last night. She had been stabbed numerous times.
The 32-year-old from Penrith in western Sydney had been attending a dental convention at St Leonards over the weekend. She spent Sunday in a hotel on Market Street in the CBD with ex-boyfriend, Harshwardhan Narde, 34, of Tamworth, a dentist who is believed to have accompanied her to the conference.
Detective Superintendent Gavin Dengate revealed officers grilled Narde while Dr Reddy was still the subject of a missing person's inquiry after the pair spent Sunday night together.
In a shocking twist, Narde died on Monday night — a day after Dr Reddy was reported missing — in a head on collision with a truck near Tamworth in what police believe was a deliberate act.
The 49-year-old driver of the fruit and vegetable-laden semi-trailer managed to crawl out of his vehicle before it burst into flames on impact with Dr Narde's BMW just after 10pm on Monday.
"Police did speak to (the ex-boyfriend) and at that time it was still a missing person's inquiry," Dengate said.
Dengate said Strike Force Carlwood officers investigating the case were unsure where and when Dr Reddy was murdered but were working on the probability she was killed at the hotel.
"We are still working on the timeline of events and that's why we need the public to come forward with any information they have," Dengate said.
Investigators said they were keen to speak to anybody who saw Dr Reddy over the weekend — when she was seen driving her grey VW Golf. The last images police have gathered of Dr Reddy show she was in a McDonald's on George Street in the CBD about 2.15am Sunday, as mardi gras celebrations took over the city.
Inside the restaurant, footage shows Dr Reddy standing alone at the counter. She then left the restaurant and walked south through the city towards Market Street.
According to police, she last spoke with her family at about 11am Sunday, saying she planned to head home after having a late breakfast in Sydney.
She was reported missing to Nepean Police Area Command later that night after she failed to arrive home.
Her remains were found last night in Strachan Lane, just a few hundred metres from Anzac Parade and about 700m from the University of New South Wales.
Before her body was found, a Facebook Group called "Help find Preethi Reddy" had been set up by the family to assist the investigation.
In a statement, Sydney City Police Area Command said they were continuing to investigate the circumstances of her death, and anyone with information relating to the incident should come forward.
Seen at the dental convention
A colleague of Dr Reddy and Narde's, who attended the conference, said he last saw the pair chatting animatedly in the hotel lobby following the event.
"They looked happy and stayed back to chat after the conference ended at 7pm," he said.
"I knew they were in a long-term relationship, many of us did.
"The bizarre thing I noticed that night was that he took down his Facebook shortly after the conference. It made me wonder why."
Hurstville Dental & Physio Centre manager Dave Vagadia told news.com.au that Dr Reddy worked at the surgery as a dentist for about five months until March 2018.
"I saw that she was missing from her sister's post on Facebook and was in pure shock when I later saw on the news about what had happened," he said.
"I just thought 'oh my God, how come?'
"She was a strong girl who loved dentistry. She was always cheerful, happy and a positive person. She was hardworking."
According to Mr Vagadia, Dr Reddy used to frequently talk about Narde and his skills as a dentist, while she was working.
"The last time I saw her was at a conference in Sydney in March last year and she was there with (Narde)," Mr Vagadia said.
"He was quiet."
If you're in danger now:
• Phone the police on 111 or ask neighbours of friends to ring for you.
• Run outside and head for where there are other people.
• Scream for help so that your neighbours can hear you.
• Take the children with you.
• Don't stop to get anything else.
• If you are being abused, remember it's not your fault. Violence is never okay
Where to go for help or more information:
• Women's Refuge: Free national crisis line operates 24/7 - 0800 refuge or 0800 733 843 www.womensrefuge.org.nz
• Shine, free national helpline 9am-11pm every day - 0508 744 633 www.2shine.org.nz
• It's Not Ok: Information line 0800 456 450 www.areyouok.org.nz
• Shakti: Providing specialist cultural services for African, Asian and middle eastern women and their children. Crisis line 24/7 0800 742 584
There are conflicting reports of the official death toll.