GUILTY Australia - Aiia Masarwe, 21, Israeli exchange student, murdered, Melbourne, Jan 2019 *ARREST*

Apparently, she was talking on the phone to her sister, her sister heard the phone drop and heard voices.. Aya would have been distracted by the call and probably not registered a person ( or people ) coming within her personal space.

It is interesting that the sister heard voices, plural. Doesn't say if it was 2 male voices or Aya's voice and the killer's.

A 21-year-old exchange student whose body was found near a tram stop in Melbourne was on the phone to her sister when she was attacked, police say.

Key points:
  • Aiia Maasarwe's uncle said he could not believe the killing happened in Australia
  • Women who work on early shifts nearby said the death had hit close to home
  • Police are urging anyone who travelled on the Route 86 tram on Tuesday night to contact them


Aiia Maasarwe, an Arab-Israeli student who was in Melbourne as part of her studies at Shanghai University, was attacked shortly after midnight on Wednesday morning.

Just heard about this news. So sad. So sick of women being killed for just walking home or going jogging or any other mundane event.

It also saddens me that she may have been on her phone as a safety precaution while walking alone at night - it is instinctive for many women to be on the phone while walking alone at night and feeling unsafe as it gives a false sense of having a "witness" or company - but it is advised by all self defense teachings for women not to be on the phone while walking alone at night (or anywhere unsafe) as it can be distracting and/or make you appear distracted and thus, appear an easier target. None of this is to blame women and certainly not this poor young woman. Women should not have to be on their phone, or not, simply to be safe. It is just in my experience, IMO only.
 
Just heard about this news. So sad. So sick of women being killed for just walking home or going jogging or any other mundane event.

It also saddens me that she may have been on her phone as a safety precaution while walking alone at night - it is instinctive for many women to be on the phone while walking alone at night and feeling unsafe as it gives a false sense of having a "witness" or company - but it is advised by all self defense teachings for women not to be on the phone while walking alone at night (or anywhere unsafe) as it can be distracting and/or make you appear distracted and thus, appear an easier target. None of this is to blame women and certainly not this poor young woman. Women should not have to be on their phone, or not, simply to be safe. It is just in my experience, IMO only.


I'm with you 100%, El... losing touch with one's environment is about the most dangerous thing a woman can do , especially when the sun goes down, statistics make this plain as day.

It is sad, too, that she probably thought she had never been safer, growing up an Arab /Israeli in Israel. That breaks my heart, too.

Detective Inspector Andrew Stamper said Ms Maasarwe was talking to her sister, who is overseas, ( she would have used that time to get in sync with her sister in another time zone.. that poor poor sister.. ) at around 12:10am when it is believed she was attacked.

"Sadly, her sister was talking to her on the phone," Detective Inspector Stamper said.

"The phone then appeared to fall to the ground and she couldn't contact her. We think that's the time.

"She heard the sound of the fall — the phone falling to the ground and heard some voices and that was it."

 
I saw this on the news at midday today and was heartbroken for this wonderful young woman, and her friends and family. I cannot imagine what they must be going through and I hope the questions they, and the rest of us, have about who did this are answered quickly so that that part of their suffering at least does not drag on.

it is right across from a huge park, which is very secluded at night, but it seems she wasn't taken into there as she was found on the other side near the BP petrol station.

It still certainly possible she was in the park at some point, the article linked below states:

"A secondary crime scene has been established in parkland opposite the area where the woman’s body was found.

SES crews and detectives entered the heavy bushland in Bundoora Park to search the area about 7.30pm on Wednesday.

A crime scene was established some time later. Access to the park via Fairway Drive has been cordoned off while police remain at the scene."

https://www.theage.com.au/national/...r-body-found-in-bundoora-20190116-p50rm4.html

At the beginning of that article it also says that she was believed to still be breathing when she was found at 7am, so that is 6 to 8 hours between when she was attacked and when she was found. So perhaps she was taken to the park and later either taken back to where she was found or she may have tried to make her way back from the park after the attack to find help. I do think those scenarios are less likely than her being attacked where she was found, especially considering the park could be a secondary crime scene for any number of other reasons (my first thought is that it could be where they found the hat and t-shirt?) but just wanted to mention that.

It seems like a crime of opportunity, someone followed her from the city so the tram she was on MUST have CCTV of the perpetrator surely.

I agree but I did also want to mention that from what I've read it isn't certain that she was followed from the city on the tram - you would think it would be easy to identify the perpetrator in the CCTV footage from the tram, particularly if they were wearing the hat and t-shirt that have been found and got off at the same stop as her. The perpetrator could have known that lots of students get off the tram at that stop to walk to student accommodation on campus, and they could have been waiting for someone to get off the tram alone either at the tram stop, near the shopping centre, or in the park.

They may have been a student or lived in on campus accommodation themselves. Which brings me to my next thoughts. I am really wary about posting this, because it really seems most likely to me that this was a crime of opportunity by a stranger or relative stranger, and the last thing I would want to do would be to add to the pain that those who knew and loved her are going through. But I did want to note that in the article linked below, it mentions that:
- she was in a WhatsApp chat with a group of other students from her course
- they became concerned when she stopped replying
- in an interview with a friend of hers from university, whose name was not used, he states that he knew she was at a comedy gig that evening, as she had invited him and other friends of their (but he did not go to the gig)

https://www.theage.com.au/national/...ntre-was-israeli-student-20190117-p50ruz.html

So it is possible that she had also invited people in the WhatsApp group to gig and that she was chatting to them about her evening, how it was, that she was leaving to go home, and the like. To me, that seems like the sort of conversation that would make me feel worried if someone stopped replying, rather than if she and her friends were talking about anything else. That is to say, it also seems possible, if extremely unlikely, that someone she knew through university could have been aware of her movements without actually being with her and targeted her between the tram and her apartment.

I am especially wary about posting this but I did also wonder why the name at the bottom of the card in the fifth image in the article above was so furiously and extensively crossed out and replaced with 'SISI' or something? I assume the person who wrote the card did that because I assume there would have been a lot of people around that area, meaning a stranger wouldn't have had time to defile that tribute - but I could be wrong. Again, there are a million and one reasons someone might have chosen to sign their card another way than what they first wrote, but it struck me as odd - as did the content of the card, if I'm being honest. Two sentences about how the writer of the message feels, and the only sentence about Aya (or Aia? Aiia? I have seen her name spelled multiple ways in the articles I've read) is saying she is in a better place. Of course, those are very normal things to say when you are grieving someone, and if they were a friend from her English course I'm assuming English also isn't their first language so that might be why I found the 'tone' a little odd. I am really sorry if this seems like hurtful speculation, I will edit this if people feel I should remove these remarks.

Again, my heart is just broken for beautiful Aia and her loved ones :(
 
Just heart breaking. Another innocent, young beautiful woman attacked. My heart sinks everytime.
The way the crime squad identified Eurydice’s killer will no doubt be similar in this case IMO. This poor woman would have had no clue the suspect was lingering behind or somewhere around her. I can totally see how using a phone during a walk of this sort home, would somewhat be comforting but geez, the thought of not seeing it coming, is scary.
I think CCTV needs to be put in place everywhere nowadays. It’s so sad it has become this way. It hurts to say that I don’t think it will ever change
 
https://www.theage.com.au/national/...shirt-found-at-the-scene-20190117-p50ryo.html

This report has the police stating that stuff was taken from her handbag.. that is significant, as well.

That T-shirt and hat, brand name *Cotton On* looks the kind of stuff a fond auntie would give a nephew for xmas. Quite clean, and new looking, no slogans or statements on it, like the stuff kids buy, (Hoons are Ace , Four Flyers etc ).. something odd about the clothing, that hat hardly seems worn, it isn't battered and shonky..

Ive been watching the skateboarder yobs around my work place here in Sydney, they come from everywhere, and there is great status is skateboarding outside in the plaza right across from Circular Quay. They get chased off all the time, but they dress in this understated manner, the hat being the crucial part of the 'uniform'... allied with wings of hair that jut out from under it, a'la Dicky Knee, a puppet from long ago Saturday Night Live
 
I saw this on the news at midday today and was heartbroken for this wonderful young woman, and her friends and family. I cannot imagine what they must be going through and I hope the questions they, and the rest of us, have about who did this are answered quickly so that that part of their suffering at least does not drag on.



It still certainly possible she was in the park at some point, the article linked below states:

"A secondary crime scene has been established in parkland opposite the area where the woman’s body was found.

SES crews and detectives entered the heavy bushland in Bundoora Park to search the area about 7.30pm on Wednesday.

A crime scene was established some time later. Access to the park via Fairway Drive has been cordoned off while police remain at the scene."

https://www.theage.com.au/national/...r-body-found-in-bundoora-20190116-p50rm4.html

At the beginning of that article it also says that she was believed to still be breathing when she was found at 7am, so that is 6 to 8 hours between when she was attacked and when she was found. So perhaps she was taken to the park and later either taken back to where she was found or she may have tried to make her way back from the park after the attack to find help. I do think those scenarios are less likely than her being attacked where she was found, especially considering the park could be a secondary crime scene for any number of other reasons (my first thought is that it could be where they found the hat and t-shirt?) but just wanted to mention that.



I agree but I did also want to mention that from what I've read it isn't certain that she was followed from the city on the tram - you would think it would be easy to identify the perpetrator in the CCTV footage from the tram, particularly if they were wearing the hat and t-shirt that have been found and got off at the same stop as her. The perpetrator could have known that lots of students get off the tram at that stop to walk to student accommodation on campus, and they could have been waiting for someone to get off the tram alone either at the tram stop, near the shopping centre, or in the park.

They may have been a student or lived in on campus accommodation themselves. Which brings me to my next thoughts. I am really wary about posting this, because it really seems most likely to me that this was a crime of opportunity by a stranger or relative stranger, and the last thing I would want to do would be to add to the pain that those who knew and loved her are going through. But I did want to note that in the article linked below, it mentions that:
- she was in a WhatsApp chat with a group of other students from her course
- they became concerned when she stopped replying
- in an interview with a friend of hers from university, whose name was not used, he states that he knew she was at a comedy gig that evening, as she had invited him and other friends of their (but he did not go to the gig)

https://www.theage.com.au/national/...ntre-was-israeli-student-20190117-p50ruz.html

So it is possible that she had also invited people in the WhatsApp group to gig and that she was chatting to them about her evening, how it was, that she was leaving to go home, and the like. To me, that seems like the sort of conversation that would make me feel worried if someone stopped replying, rather than if she and her friends were talking about anything else. That is to say, it also seems possible, if extremely unlikely, that someone she knew through university could have been aware of her movements without actually being with her and targeted her between the tram and her apartment.

I am especially wary about posting this but I did also wonder why the name at the bottom of the card in the fifth image in the article above was so furiously and extensively crossed out and replaced with 'SISI' or something? I assume the person who wrote the card did that because I assume there would have been a lot of people around that area, meaning a stranger wouldn't have had time to defile that tribute - but I could be wrong. Again, there are a million and one reasons someone might have chosen to sign their card another way than what they first wrote, but it struck me as odd - as did the content of the card, if I'm being honest. Two sentences about how the writer of the message feels, and the only sentence about Aya (or Aia? Aiia? I have seen her name spelled multiple ways in the articles I've read) is saying she is in a better place. Of course, those are very normal things to say when you are grieving someone, and if they were a friend from her English course I'm assuming English also isn't their first language so that might be why I found the 'tone' a little odd. I am really sorry if this seems like hurtful speculation, I will edit this if people feel I should remove these remarks.

Again, my heart is just broken for beautiful Aia and her loved ones :(

Excellent post, and that is some new info I haven't seen yet. I hope this person/people gets caught quickly.
 
Just heart breaking. Another innocent, young beautiful woman attacked. My heart sinks everytime.
The way the crime squad identified Eurydice’s killer will no doubt be similar in this case IMO. This poor woman would have had no clue the suspect was lingering behind or somewhere around her. I can totally see how using a phone during a walk of this sort home, would somewhat be comforting but geez, the thought of not seeing it coming, is scary.
I think CCTV needs to be put in place everywhere nowadays. It’s so sad it has become this way. It hurts to say that I don’t think it will ever change

I was thinking is it time we all started wearing body cams when we go out now? It's just terrible what society has become.
 
I saw this on the news at midday today and was heartbroken for this wonderful young woman, and her friends and family. I cannot imagine what they must be going through and I hope the questions they, and the rest of us, have about who did this are answered quickly so that that part of their suffering at least does not drag on.



It still certainly possible she was in the park at some point, the article linked below states:

"A secondary crime scene has been established in parkland opposite the area where the woman’s body was found.

SES crews and detectives entered the heavy bushland in Bundoora Park to search the area about 7.30pm on Wednesday.

A crime scene was established some time later. Access to the park via Fairway Drive has been cordoned off while police remain at the scene."

https://www.theage.com.au/national/...r-body-found-in-bundoora-20190116-p50rm4.html

At the beginning of that article it also says that she was believed to still be breathing when she was found at 7am, so that is 6 to 8 hours between when she was attacked and when she was found. So perhaps she was taken to the park and later either taken back to where she was found or she may have tried to make her way back from the park after the attack to find help. I do think those scenarios are less likely than her being attacked where she was found, especially considering the park could be a secondary crime scene for any number of other reasons (my first thought is that it could be where they found the hat and t-shirt?) but just wanted to mention that.



I agree but I did also want to mention that from what I've read it isn't certain that she was followed from the city on the tram - you would think it would be easy to identify the perpetrator in the CCTV footage from the tram, particularly if they were wearing the hat and t-shirt that have been found and got off at the same stop as her. The perpetrator could have known that lots of students get off the tram at that stop to walk to student accommodation on campus, and they could have been waiting for someone to get off the tram alone either at the tram stop, near the shopping centre, or in the park.

They may have been a student or lived in on campus accommodation themselves. Which brings me to my next thoughts. I am really wary about posting this, because it really seems most likely to me that this was a crime of opportunity by a stranger or relative stranger, and the last thing I would want to do would be to add to the pain that those who knew and loved her are going through. But I did want to note that in the article linked below, it mentions that:
- she was in a WhatsApp chat with a group of other students from her course
- they became concerned when she stopped replying
- in an interview with a friend of hers from university, whose name was not used, he states that he knew she was at a comedy gig that evening, as she had invited him and other friends of their (but he did not go to the gig)

https://www.theage.com.au/national/...ntre-was-israeli-student-20190117-p50ruz.html

So it is possible that she had also invited people in the WhatsApp group to gig and that she was chatting to them about her evening, how it was, that she was leaving to go home, and the like. To me, that seems like the sort of conversation that would make me feel worried if someone stopped replying, rather than if she and her friends were talking about anything else. That is to say, it also seems possible, if extremely unlikely, that someone she knew through university could have been aware of her movements without actually being with her and targeted her between the tram and her apartment.

I am especially wary about posting this but I did also wonder why the name at the bottom of the card in the fifth image in the article above was so furiously and extensively crossed out and replaced with 'SISI' or something? I assume the person who wrote the card did that because I assume there would have been a lot of people around that area, meaning a stranger wouldn't have had time to defile that tribute - but I could be wrong. Again, there are a million and one reasons someone might have chosen to sign their card another way than what they first wrote, but it struck me as odd - as did the content of the card, if I'm being honest. Two sentences about how the writer of the message feels, and the only sentence about Aya (or Aia? Aiia? I have seen her name spelled multiple ways in the articles I've read) is saying she is in a better place. Of course, those are very normal things to say when you are grieving someone, and if they were a friend from her English course I'm assuming English also isn't their first language so that might be why I found the 'tone' a little odd. I am really sorry if this seems like hurtful speculation, I will edit this if people feel I should remove these remarks.

Again, my heart is just broken for beautiful Aia and her loved ones :(

Great post.
This is a bit out there too, but the thought struck me it could be terrorist related?
I suppose if it was the person would be claiming it or whatever. Like those 2 poor girls in Morocco.
 
The 86 is my old tram line and it is notorious for the amount of weirdos that catch it. Rarely do a few months go by without hearing of some incident occurring on it. Mostly flashers and sexual assault.

Recently i reported a suspiciously acting man to Crimestoppers who had gotten off my bus to catch the 86 after it was reported a man matching his description indecently assaulted a woman.
 
Back to the case at hand. What i find most frightening about this is that she was on the phone to her sister and in touch with her fellow student friends via WhatsApp. Something many women do when they're travelling home at night to 'keep safe'. Same with Jill Meagher when she was talking to her brother on the phone.
 
Another thing to add - she was Palestinian, not Israeli. So no IDF training.
I finally figured that out, but not that she was Palestinian, rather, Arab/Israeli , a whole other contingent. God help us, though, it would be appalling to a degree intolerable if that had any bearing on her death.

Odd, that idiot Miranda Devine was blithering on TV about how unfair it is to men to be talking about toxic masculinity, how there are just as many bad women as there are bad men, so where are the bodies of men jammed under bushes near tramstops, huh? Miranda had all the blokes on this ridiculous panel nodding away , all agreeing, how women's expectations are just too , too , you know, unattainable, expecting normality and all that....
 
Does anyone know where the cap and tshirt were found?

Seems super strange that it was discarded so close to the crime scene.[/QUOTE]

about 100 metres along Plenty Road , was one report I read.. in the direction back towards Melbourne.
 

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