Killer Allegedly Fooled People Into Thinking Dead Woman Was Still Alive

Killer Allegedly Fooled People Into Thinking Dead Woman Was Still Alive
Sarah Gatt at age 15 or 16 according to her father. (Victoria Police)
Janita Kan
3/14/2018
Updated:
3/14/2018

Chilling details have emerged about a woman who was found decomposing in a bathtub at a home in Melbourne, Australia.

Police discovered Sarah Gatt, 40, dead in a bathtub at a residential unit at Lambeth Street on Jan. 3. Investigators believe Gatt had died eight months prior to being found, between April 20 and 24 last year, according to a police statement released on March 13.
Sarah Gatt. (Screenshot via Facebook/Sarah Gatt)
Sarah Gatt. (Screenshot via Facebook/Sarah Gatt)

Forensic evidence indicated a violent assault took place on the property and deliberate steps were taken to “fool” people into thinking Gatt was well and alive.

Detective Inspector Tim Day said the new revelations were “disturbing and concerning.”

“It’s disturbing and concerning to investigators that it appears someone has deliberately attempted to make it look as though Sarah was still alive,” Day said in the statement.

Authorities discovered the decomposing body after they were called to the property for an unrelated matter. Before entering the property, officers were able to detect a foul smell which led them to the bathroom inside the premise, they said.

Day told reporters that someone was living “on and off” at the property while the body was hidden in the bathtub, reported Newscorp.

Three men and two women were questioned by police about the body but no charges have been laid and all five people were released pending further enquiries. Police said they remain persons of interest in the investigations.

Gatt’s grieving parents told reporters at a press conference on March 12 that they lost contact with their daughter about 18 months ago, reported the news website.

“I lost contact with her about 18 months ago because she didn’t want to see me. Whatever I said, she just didn’t want to do it,” Victor Gatt said.

“No one deserves to die like that. It doesn’t matter what happened, she doesn’t deserve to die like that,” Gatt’s stepmother Cheryl Gatt told reporters.

Sarah Gatt at age 15 or 16 according to her father. (Victoria Police)
Sarah Gatt at age 15 or 16 according to her father. (Victoria Police)

Victor said his daughter, who was an aspiring model, started using drugs as a teenager not long after she started attending modeling school. He said her life then started spiraling downwards.

“She was a great person. I couldn’t fault her at all, she was great. Then she went down the wrong path,” he said.

“I put her in different places to try and get her cleaned up but it didn’t happen.

‘“I should have pushed myself to go and see her, but Sarah is the type of person if she doesn’t want to see you, she doesn’t want to see you,” he added.

Gatt’s family said their daughter was living in the property at Lambeth Street for a number of years and had four children aged seven to 18 but none of the children were living with her.

Authorities are now urging for anyone with information to come forward and speak with them.

“We are particularly keen to speak to anyone who saw any person coming or going from her Lambeth Street unit after 20 April last year,” Day said.

“Police would also like to speak to anyone who was provided any information by any person indicating that Sarah was still alive after that date.

“This could be from a range of people including neighbours, friends, passersby or any local businesses she had contact with.”

Police said they have a pretty good idea of what had occurred but have not released any further information pending their investigations.

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