THE mother of slain Whorouly woman Karen Chetcuti has been left devastated by her death.
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Clary Verbunt has paid an emotional tribute to the late Whorouly woman after her alleged murder last week.
The 82-year-old is struggling to come to terms with the fact she will never see her daughter again.
“You’re our eldest and it was a very difficult birth,” she said in a tribute written to The Border Mail.
“Dad and myself were over the moon to bring you (into) the world.
“Just as well dad is not here anymore, he would have (been) heartbroken, and so am I.”
Ms Verbunt said her daughter had visited her about a week before her death, along with her two teenage children, and all had left “smiling and very happy”.
“I can’t believe not to see you again,” she said.
“I’ll miss your visits, emails, phone calls.
“Also our relatives in the Netherlands are very upset.”
She signed off with the words “rust in vrede”, which is Dutch for “rest in peace”.
Ms Chetcuti’s father, John, had passed away nearly 18 months ago after a lengthy battle with prostate cancer.
Flowers have been placed at Ms Chetcuti’s Whorouly home with many leaving words in tribute to their friend.
Her nephew, Josh Gulia, said his best times while growing up were visiting Ms Chetcuti and her ex-husband Tony at Whorouly.
“You and uncle Tony would make everything so fun,” he said.
No one should be taken away from their beautiful kids, especially you
- Nephew Josh Gulia
“You always had this bright spark about you, always made things funny and always had that beautiful smile.
“It breaks my heart to keep being reminded that this has happened.
“No-one should be taken away from their beautiful kids, especially you.”
The man accused of murdering Ms Chetcuti, neighbour Michael Cardamone, was on parole at the time of her death.
Tony Chetcuti told Nine News he believed the parole system needs to be reviewed and changed.
“I am gutted by it all,” he said.
Police are continuing to investigate the incident.
Homicide squad detectives will return to the North East on Thursday as they gather evidence.
Cardamone faced court in Wangaratta on Tuesday charged with murder and breaching parole.