2 days ago
Woman is found dead in a Rutherford home as her boyfriend is charged in alleged domestic violence attack
A 31-year-old man has fronted court after allegedly murdering his 20-year-old girlfriend.
Summer Fleming, 20, was allegedly killed by her boyfriend, Jethro Gamueda, in a domestic violence incident shortly before 5am on Monday.
Paramedics rushed to Gamueda's home in Rutherford, north-west of Maitland in the NSW Hunter Valley, and found Ms Fleming with severe facial injuries.
She was unable to be revived.
Gamueda faced Parramatta Bail Court on Tuesday.
The couple had met at while working at Rydges and were together for one year before the alleged attack. No prior domestic violence was reported.
Ms Fleming's sister, Ash Heggie-Martin, described her as 'a beautiful spirit'.
'She's just one of a kind,' she told Nine News.
'No person deserves to die like that, especially such a beautiful young soul.'
Ms Heggie-Martin recalled the moment she was told of her sister's passing.
'I physically felt ill. I never thought a person I'd met, a person that was my sister's partner was [allegedly] capable of doing that,' she said.
Ms Fleming had dreamed of becoming a nurse.
Instead, she joined the dozens of Australian women allegedly killed by domestic violence so far this year.
On Tuesday, Australian Femicide Watch founder Sherele Moody added Ms Fleming's photo to a memorial wall of other alleged domestic violence victims in Melbourne.
Gamueda made no application for bail.
He will remain in custody until his next court appearance in October.
