Bride-to-be Stephanie Scott was 26 when she was raped and murdered on Easter Sunday last year. Photo / Facebook
Bride-to-be Stephanie Scott was 26 when she was raped and murdered on Easter Sunday last year. Photo / Facebook
A Facebook page dedicated to the memory of sex assault and murder victim Stephanie Scott has been inundated with tributes to her father who was tragically killed by a falling tree on Tuesday.
New South Wales farmer Bob Scott was reportedly found at lunchtime on Tuesday on the family property near Canowindra.
Police confirmed a man in his sixties had died and the family were "beside themselves".
Hundreds of people have taken to social media to leave condolence messages for the family after the tragic death that occurred just three weeks after Vincent Stanford, 25, was sentenced to life in prison for the murder and sexual assault of Bob's daughter Stephanie.
The body of the bride-to-be was discovered in a national park in Australia the day before she was due to get married last year.
Family and friends who had flown from around the world to attend her wedding instead found themselves at her funeral.
Just over two weeks ago, on October 14, her killer was sentenced to life in jail at a special sitting of the Supreme Court in Griffith.
The "callous" and "disturbed" killer, who had been a cleaner at Leeton High where Ms Scott worked and had three other female targets he stalked before he raped and murdered her, did not look at Justice Robert Allan Hulme as he read out the shocking facts of the case while handing down the sentence .
The 25-year-old will now die in jail for what the judge said was a murder of great "heinousness".
Yesterday the Rest in Peace Stephanie Scott Facebook page detailed the new tragedy jolting the murdered bride-to-be's family.
"Heartbreaking news," the Facebook page said. "Sending all love and support for the beautiful Scott Family." The post has been liked thousands of times and received hundreds of comments.
Ricke Wilson wrote: "Love, condolences, thoughts. everything for you and your poor beautiful mum. Wish there was more I could do (sic)."
Denise Bechaz said: "RIP what a terrible time of this family the only thing that could possibly bring hope is he will have his little girl again, my sincere heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones."
While Jennifer Lou asked "What more heartbreak does this loving family need to endure? I'm so very sorry for another tragic loss for you all. My heart breaks."
Another user named Sue Smart also questioned "how much more can a lovely family take?"
"Such very, very sad news today. Just heartbreaking ... all loving thoughts and deepest sympathy to the Scott family," she wrote.
Emergency services were called to a farm on Namami Road, near Canowindra on Tuesday. Reports suggest he was hit by a falling tree while clearing the property.
Ms Scott, who was soon to be married to Aaron Leeson-Woolley, was murdered in the NSW town of Leeton in the NSW Riverina region, in 2015.
Stanford pleaded guilty to the attack, in which he sexually assaulted her, punched her unconscious and then stabbed her in the neck
Following his daughter's tragic murder, Mr Scott said he hoped Stephanie was now "in the best place possible".
"When you die I don't know what happens really, but you leave this body and our spirit is what goes on," Mr Scott said.
"She had plenty of spirit so, whatever happens, she should be in the best place possible because she had one of the best spirits you've ever come across."
On Tuesday, the Mayor of Leeton, Paul Maytom, led the condolences. for the family. "The family have suffered so much with the absolute tragedy of Stephanie, and now to have this," he told Channel 7.
