Detectives are trying to solve the mystery of why a brutally murdered grandmother visited her estranged husband’s home weeks after a restraining order was issued against her.
Christine Rakic, 50, was beaten to death with a blunt instrument after her concerned family raised the alarm with police at the family’s former investment property in Bread Hill, western Sydney.
Her husband Dusan Rakic, 50, was found with apparently self-inflicted injuries, and was bleeding at the scene.
He moved to the bungalow about a year ago. It was rented out until their marriage broke up after two decades together.
Rakic was charged in May with domestic violence-related assault and police issued a violence order against him to protect his wife.
But on Tuesday evening, Ms Rakic, a nursing home worker, drove to her ex-husband’s house and parked on the corner of his house instead of in his driveway as usual.
At around 8.15pm, neighbors reported hearing two ‘loud screams’ followed by silence until police arrived about 15 minutes later.
Detectives are trying to solve the mystery of why brutally murdered grandmother Cristina Rakic (pictured) visited the home of her estranged husband Dusan Rakic (pictured).
Christine Rakic, 50, was beaten to death with a blunt instrument at the family’s former investment property after her concerned family raised the alarm with police.
Police issued a restraining order against Dusan Rakic in May to protect his wife Christine Rakic
Police sources said first responders found a gruesome blood-soaked murder scene, with Mrs. Rakic dead and her husband suffering life-threatening injuries.
The father-of-two, who is said to work for a refrigeration company, remains in an induced coma under police guard at Westmead Hospital in a serious but stable condition.
He is expected to survive injuries to his neck and wrists and will be questioned by police when he regains consciousness.
A police source said, ‘Blood all over the house. ‘It’s a major crime scene.’
Forensic experts remained at the scene overnight and into Wednesday as they marked the brutal attack with yellow markers.
Ms Dakik’s 2009 purple Mazda 6 – which had a wooden butterfly hanging from the rear-view mirror and a car seat for her grandson in the back – was also taken by police for testing.
Mount Druitt Police Superintendent Steve Eginton said the investigation is still in its early stages and they have not yet formally identified the victim.
Police sources said first responders found a gruesome blood-soaked murder scene, with Mrs. Rakic already dead and her husband with life-threatening wounds.
Forensic teams (pictured) worked through the night at the blood-soaked crime scene
‘We don’t have a lot of information at the moment – one of the two people who were in the house at the time is deceased and the other is in a coma,’ he said.
‘It is too early in the investigation to determine exactly how this happened and it will be difficult for us to figure it out over time.’
Neighbors revealed the couple were discussing selling the Rooty Hill home with a real estate agent who lives around the corner from the property.
Ms Rakic’s car was found opposite the estate agent’s house, with neighbors speculating that she had negotiated the sale of the house directly with him before she died.
They said she may have walked the corner to her husband’s house to talk about a possible sale before his tragic death.
Neighbor Shannon Brennan, who lives across the street from the murder scene, said: ‘Whenever she goes out she usually parks in her husband’s driveway.’
‘That’s the only reason I can think of why he parked on the corner.’
Dusan Rakic (pictured with wife Christine and children Dion and Amelia) moved into the Rooty Hill bungalow in Sydney’s west about a year ago after their marriage broke up after two decades together.
Neighbor Shannon Brennan revealed the couple had discussed selling the house with a local real estate agent before Ms Rakic’s brutal murder.
The family are understood to have lived briefly in Queensland before returning to their Hassall Grove home before divorcing five years ago.
The estate agent was assisting police with the investigation late on Tuesday but declined to discuss the tragedy with Daily Mail Australia.
Mrs Rakic lived with her grown-up son Dion in the family home five minutes away in Hassall Grove. Her Facebook profile is filled with pictures of her with her grandchildren through her grown daughter, Amelia.
Neighbors in Hassall Grove said they saw Rakic driving his 1997 silver Toyota Corolla around the streets around his wife’s house after they separated last year.
A resident of Hassall Grove said, ‘He was a nice guy but very religious. ‘I’m Catholic but he was very preachy.
‘He was always saying how great God was and how “the day of the Lord is coming…” It was a bit boring to be honest.
‘Their son told me they had split up when I noticed he was no longer around. He just said that his parents don’t get along anymore.
‘But I saw him driving around but not stopping or coming in. I’m not sure if he was spying on her or what, but it was very strange.’
He added: ‘She was a lovely woman but quite reserved. We would shake hands and say hi and maybe talk for a few minutes but that was it. She loved her gardening though.
‘It’s a terrible thing that happened to him.’
Mrs Rakic’s car was taken for testing by police from an unusual car parking spot around the corner from her husband’s house
A wooden butterfly hangs from the rearview mirror of Christine Rakic’s 2009 purple Mazda 6.
The family are understood to have lived briefly in Queensland before returning to their Hassall Grove home before divorcing five years ago.
Apart from houses in Rooty Hill and Hassall Grove, he also owned a rented shop unit on Rooty Hill Road near Rakik.
The killings come on the eve of a NSW crackdown on domestic violence starting this weekend.
Sixteen women, men and children have been killed in DV-related incidents in NSW this year, the youngest just 11 months old and the oldest 91.
Police will be enforcing AVOs and outstanding arrest warrants as they crack down on criminals in a four-day statewide show of force Operation Amarok.
‘Domestic violence is the number one crime in the area,’ Supt Egginton said.
‘I have been in policing for 35 years and domestic violence has been a dominant feature for almost that entire career. It still remains that way.’