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The killer of a man found stabbed to death outside his luxury Sunshine Coast house remains on the run, with shocked residents fearful for their neighbouring friends.
Zdravko Bilic, a 57-year-old who lives in the multimillion-dollar Warana home with his wife, successful skincare businesswoman Gry Susann Tomte, was found with stab wounds to his abdomen in the front garden about 7.30pm on Monday.
Police suspected he might have disrupted a break-and-enter at the Napalle Street property before he was attacked.
Zdravko Bilic with wife, HÜD Skin + Body founder Gry Susann Tomte.Credit: Instagram
“There’s been no arrest … it’s still under investigation,” a police spokesperson said.
Warana resident Lynda Paterson, who was driving near the crime scene as police updated the media on Wednesday, said the suburb had always been quiet and safe.
“It’s really shocking,” she said.
The crime scene at Bilic’s home in Warana on the Sunshine Coast.
“I just went around there and the street is cordoned off … there were no other people other than a couple of media, myself, the police.
“It [otherwise] just looks like any normal day in Warana.
“I would imagine there would be a lot of shock in the immediate area because there has never, ever been any risk of or obvious risk of crime.”
She added some of her close friends lived a short walk from the scene.
“I hope they’re starting to lock their doors when they’re home and out in the back gardening because who knows who it was and where they are now.”
Tomte described her husband as “the yin to my yang. The calm to my storm”.Credit: Zdravko Bilic
Images of two cars parked in the home’s driveway show they had been dusted heavily for prints.
Tomte, the founder of HÜD Skin + Body, had described her partner as “the most supportive human I could ever ask for”.
She did not answer calls from this masthead on Wednesday.
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“It’s not easy living with a perfectionist who lives and breathes work,” Tomte said in a recent interview with Australian leisurewear company founder Jasmine Alexa.
“He is the yin to my yang. The calm to my storm.”
Tomte was away at the time Bilic was killed, and reportedly had asked a neighbour to scope out her home after not hearing from him for some time.
Police said the attack might have occurred late on Sunday evening – about 20 hours before the body was found.
“We have a number of pieces of information we’re following through,” Detective Inspector Chris Toohey said.
“One of the lines of inquiry is he has disturbed a break-and-enter.
“He was a valued member of the community … he is a community-minded person that was well-loved in the area.”
The property, which Bilic and Tomte bought in December 2021 for $2.5 million, remained a crime scene.
“We’re asking anyone with any assistance they may be able to provide or knowledge of this incident to come forward,” Toohey said.
Toohey confirmed Tomte had spoken with police.
“As you can imagine, it’s an extremely difficult time, but the community are coming around her and doing as much as they can for her at this time,” he said.
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