The family of a young woman who was stabbed 11 times in a senseless attack outside their mansion has been left shattered as disturbing details come to light.
The victim has been identified as Leija Michael, 18, a recent graduate of Melbourne‘s prestigious Ruyton Girls’ School and the daughter of respected ear, nose and throat surgeon Dr Philip Michael.
Ms Michael was returning home from a night out with friends when she was allegedly ambushed at about 1am on Wednesday by an 18‑year‑old man known to her, who had been hiding in bushes outside her Miller Grove home in Kew.
She suffered multiple stab wounds and was rushed to hospital, where her injuries were initially assessed as life‑threatening. She is now understood to be in a stable condition.
Daily Mail understands the attacker was a recent graduate of Trinity Grammar School, who later took his own life.
A 20cm kitchen knife was found in a garden at the scene, and the alleged attacker’s body was later discovered more than 350km away in Antwerp, in western Victoria, at about 6.15am.
Daily Mail understands the pair may have first met through the tightly connected Ruyton–Trinity private school network.
The neighbouring Kew schools charge annual fees ranging from $27,000 to $45,000.
The victim’s sister Mia Michael emerges from their Kew home on Thursday
Ms Michael is the daughter of esteemed Ear, Nose and Throat surgeon Dr Philip Michael and his wife Merja Michael
Victoria Police detectives also returned to scene of the crime to canvass the street for clues as to why Ms Michael was mercilessly stabbed
In a statement released on Thursday, Trinity Grammar said it was ‘profoundly saddened by this terrible incident’.
‘Our thoughts are with the young woman as she recovers, and the families involved,’ the statement read.
‘Out of respect for the ongoing police investigation and the privacy of those involved, we are unable to comment further at this time.’
A security guard was stationed at the main entrance of Ruyton on Thursday, where Ms Michael recently completed Year 12.
Earlier, members of Ms Michael’s family, including her older sister Mia, were seen emerging from the mansion for the first time since the attack.
Friends and neighbours gathered throughout the day in the normally quiet, close‑knit street, with some seen carrying food parcels between homes.
Detectives from Victoria Police also returned to the scene to canvass the area as they worked to establish a motive for the attack.
Blood spatter visible on the family Porsche, driveway and front gate on Wednesday afternoon had been cleaned away by Thursday morning.
Leija Michael was stabbed outside her family’s Kew home
The Porsche was soaked in blood
Ms Michael was stabbed next to this blue Porsche
On Wednesday one shaken neighbour told Daily Mail: ‘It’s been a very long night. We haven’t had any sleep.’
Another said: ‘We’re all extremely upset. It’s a very tight‑knit street.’
Superintendent Wayne Cheesman told Nova radio the teenager was ‘minding her own business’ when she was attacked.
‘She gets dropped off at her residence in Kew and there’s a male who is known to her, also of similar age, who approaches her in the driveway and stabs her multiple times,’ he said.
‘She was just a young girl walking home in the safety of her own driveway.
‘How an 18‑year‑old boy can, for whatever reason, think it’s acceptable to approach someone he knows and stab her multiple times is really sad.’
It is understood Ms Michael was treated for injuries to her upper and mid‑body.