Heartbroken beauty mogul breaks her silence after her husband of 20 years was found stabbed to death outside their beachfront home - as tragic new details emerge
A neighbour found Zdravko Bilic, 57, dead in the front yard of his home on Queensland 's Sunshine Coast in the suburb of Warana about 7.35pm on Monday.
In her first public statement since her husband's death, Gry Susann Tomte - the couple were set to celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary in August - has remembered him as the 'kindest, gentlest person I have ever known'.
He was 'loved by everyone who ever had the fortune of meeting him,' she told Nine News.
It is understood Ms Tomte asked the neighbour to check on her husband after not hearing from him for some time.
Police said the 57-year-old was found with multiple stab wounds and officers were entertaining a number of lines of inquiry as part of a homicide investigation.
A heartbroken Ms Tomte, who founded the luxury beauty clinic, HÜD, was interstate at the time and is not accused of any wrongdoing.
Police have revealed Mr Bilic may have been killed as early as 11pm on Sunday night, some 20 hours before he was found.
A Queensland Police Service spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia no arrests had yet been made as of Wednesday night.
Sunshine Coast Detective Inspector Chris Toohey said police were entertaining a number of lines of inquiry including that Mr Bilic had disturbed a break-and-enter.
He said Mr Bilic was a 'valued member of the community' and his death has left neighbours of the relatively safe Queensland suburb 'shocked'.
'As you can imagine it is an extremely [distressing] time for [Ms Tomte], but the community are coming around her and doing as much as they can for her,' he said.
Ms Tomte moved to Australia at the age of 28 and founded her clinic later in life in 2017 after undergoing training in Toronto, Canada.
HÜD opened with its first location in the Melbourne suburb of St Kilda and has since opened a second in the nearby suburb of Northcote.
According to her Instagram page, Ms Tomte also works as a high-performance coach and was due to present at the Brisbane Aesthetic Summit on July 21.
She has been described as an 'incredible entrepreneur', responsible for a multi-million dollar business with star-studded clientele.
The couple bought the five-bedroom, three-bathroom home in March 2022 for $2.5million.
The couple often depicted their lavish lifestyle on social media, including frequent jaunts to Sydney and New York.
Mr Bilic was featured in a video on HÜD's Instagram page in September last year in which he was filmed applying a skincare mask.
'Here's to our fathers and father figures who raise us, support us and love us,' the caption read.
'Mr HÜD is the most incredible man and fur father I could ever ask for'.
In a profile piece for Jasmine Alexa, Ms Tomte described her husband as the 'most supportive human I could ever ask for.
'It's not easy living with a perfectionist who lives and breathes work… But he is the yin to my yang. The calm to my storm.
'Especially being that we have no family here, the two of us have always been a strong unit.'
Police continue to appeal to anyone with information or CCTV vision of the area between 11pm Sunday 13 July and 7.35pm Monday 14 July to contact police.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
4 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Felix Baumgartner's official cause of death after famous skydiver's freak accident
Red Bull-sponsored athlete Felix Baumgartner died last Thursday after his motorised paraglider spiralled fatally out of control before crashing into a holiday camp The cause of death has been revealed for Austrian daredevil Felix Baumgartner, who was killed in a catastrophic paraglider crash while descending over an Italian resort. The 56-year-old Red Bull-sponsored athlete died at around 4pm local time on Thursday after his motorised paraglider spiralled fatally out of control above Porto Sant'Elpidio, a coastal town in Italy's Fermo province. Baumgartner, who was holidaying with his partner Michela Radulescu, had been soaring above the Adriatic Sea when he crashed into a swimming pool at the Le Mimose holiday camp. An investigation into the incident is now underway. Attorney General Raffaele Iannella confirmed to BILD that autopsies are currently being carried out on Baumgartner's body at the forensic medicine department of nearby Fermo hospital. READ MORE: Austrian daredevil Felix Baumgartner killed in horror paragliding crash He said: "What we know for sure so far: Baumgartner died on impact, his spine fractured in the lower part of his back, and his spinal cord was damaged." Local media reports suggest a freak mid-air malfunction may have caused the sudden descent. Investigators are examining the possibility that a camera mounted to Baumgartner's paraglider dislodged and fell into the propeller, destroying it mid-flight. Authorities are working to recover the camera to piece together a clearer timeline of the crash. Italy's public prosecutor's office has said the investigation could take between 40 and 45 days to complete. READ MORE: Felix Baumgartner's last tragic Instagram post before fatal paragilde crash In the aftermath of the tragedy, Michela Radulescu posted chilling footage of Baumgartner taken just minutes before his final flight. Sharing the clip on X, she wrote: 'For over 12 years I was there for every take off and landing, from skydiving, paragliding, helicopter flights, paramotor to aerobatic shows. And when I couldn't be there for some heli flights, we had the WLC code - 'the Wifey Landing Call'. Never missed one. Except …this one.' Describing him as 'truly special,' she said Baumgartner was 'going home now, up there, where he was the happiest ever.' The 55-year-old also thanked supporters for keeping 'his unique legacy high up.' Baumgartner shot to global fame in 2012 when he jumped from the edge of space in what remains the world 's most extreme skydive.
Daily Mirror
7 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
BREAKING: Diogo Jota's widow posts heartbreaking message one month after marrying tragic Liverpool star
Diogo Jota's widow, Rute Cardoso, has posted on social media for the first time since the Liverpool star's tragic death. She shared an image on Instagram of the pair holding hands at their wedding which took place just two weeks before Jota, 28, and his brother were killed in a car crash. "1 month of our 'until death do us part'," Cardoso wrote as the caption. "Forever, your little white girl." Jota and Cardoso, who'd been together since they were teenagers, had three children together, two sons - Dinis and Duarte - and a daughter, whose name has not publicly been revealed. The Liverpool forward and his brother, Andre Silva, died in the early hours of Thursday, July 3 near Zamora, Spain. Spanish police say that 'all the evidence so far' shows that Jota was driving the Lamborghini at the time. Authorities also believe that evidence is pointing towards the vehicle 'significantly exceeding the speed limit for the highway' when the crash took place. The bothers' family and friends were joined by Liverpool players past and present as well as members of Jota's national team for their funeral in Portugal. In remembrance of Jota, the Premier League champions have retired the No.20 shirt. "It was the number he wore with pride and distinction, leading us to countless victories in the process – and Diogo Jota will forever be Liverpool Football Club's number 20," the club said in a statement. "After consultation with his wife, Rute, and family, the club can announce the squad number will be retired in honour and memory of Diogo across all levels, including LFC Women and Academy. "The move is recognition of not only the immeasurable contribution our lad from Portugal made to the Reds' on-pitch successes over the last five years, but also the profound personal impact he had on his teammates, colleagues and supporters and the everlasting connections he built with them."
Daily Record
9 hours ago
- Daily Record
Shocking truth behind Dubai's 'Porta Potty' parties where women are abused and degraded
WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT Fears are growing over sick Dubai 'Porta Potty' parties, where young women are lured in and forced to do the unthinkable. For many, Dubai is seen as a luxury playground consisting of gleaming skyscrapers, designer labels and influencers snapping selfies. However, behind the glamour lies a murky underworld, where women are lured to so-called ' Porta Potty parties '. It comes as a young model who was feared to have fallen victim to one of these vile parties has broken her silence from her hospital bed, reports the Mirror. Maria Kovalchuk, 20, was found dumped at the side of a road in Dubai with a broken spine and shattered limbs. The Ukrainian influencer, now recovering in Norway, has denied that citizens of the United Arab Emirates were to blame, but instead claims she was attacked by a group of 'rich Russian kids' after a hotel party turned violent. However, Maria's story has shed light on fears over grim ' Porta Potty parties ', where glamorous young female tourists are targeted in foul and demeaning ways. Young women - often glamorous tourists or aspiring influencers - are allegedly invited to these parties and promised luxury yachts, cash, and 5-star hotel stays. In reality, the truth is far more disturbing and could well land unfortunate guests in grave danger. Held aboard a luxury yacht as well as inside hotel rooms, Porta Potty parties are allegedly orchestrated by wealthy men, and centre around acts of degrading sexual humiliation, often involving bodily fluids. Those targeted are left with physical and psychological scars. Adult content creator Kay Manuel, from Australia's Gold Coast, previously told 'The promoters play it down. Saying, you'll just party, have a great time. Then get showered with gifts. In reality, you'll be expected to do unthinkable things.' According to Kay, another Australian woman known to her was hospitalised with devastating injuries after accepting an invitation from Dubai jewellery tycoons She continued: 'She had to get reconstructive surgery. She came back very emotionally scarred. It's not something that you can come back from and go 'oh well'. It's burned on your brain forever.' According to Kay, young influencers struggling with debt or brand deals are prime targets. She explained: 'They prefer to target Instagram models. They're less experienced than escorts.' Women caught up in these disturbing gatherings could also land in trouble with the law in the strict Gulf state, even if they're victims. Harrowingly, victims also run the risk of getting into serious difficulties with the law, in a country where sex workers can face six months behind bars. Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai, previously warned the Mirror that women involved in Porta Potty parties - even if they haven't consented - could be looking at charges of adultery or indecency, especially if such acts were carried out in the presence of married men. Ms Stirling said: " Sex outside marriage has been legalised in Dubai, but organisers have exploited this. Women think they're attending a private party - instead, they're thrown into horrific, dangerous situations with real legal risk." If you've been the victim of sexual assault, you can access help and resources via or by calling the national telephone helpline on 0808 802 9999
