Exotic dancer, 26, demanded $100,000 from ‘sugar daddy’ and threatened to falsely charge him with rape if he didn’t pay before she was stabbed to death, court hears
- Exotic dancer demands $ 100,000 from ‘sugar daddy’, the court hears
- Ellie Price was stabbed to death in May 2020
- Ricardo Barbaro pleaded not guilty to her murder
Weeks before Ellie Price was found dead in her Melbourne apartment, she demanded $100,000 from a friend and threatened to falsely report him for rape if he didn’t pay, a jury has heard.
Mark Gray, who had financially supported Ms Price and her family, told the Supreme Court he believed Ms Price intended to give her accused killer, her flasher friend Ricardo Barbaro, some of that money.
“I assume the friend will need it and she will undoubtedly give it to him,” he said in a text message read in court on Tuesday.
Mrs. Price told him she needed the money to open a salon, but Mr. Gray told others, including her mother, that he thought this was a “joke” in text messages.
Mr Gray said he thought Ms Price’s demand for $100,000 represented “a rather extraordinary change in behavior”.
Prosecutors allege Ellie Price (pictured) was fatally stabbed by Barbara in the early hours of April 29
Ricardo Barbaro (pictured, arrives at Victoria Supreme Court), 36, has pleaded not guilty to murder
He paid Mrs. Price $25,000 and said he planned to get more money in September to pay her and Barbara again.
Barbara, 36, has pleaded not guilty to murder and is facing a jury trial over the death of Ms Price, 26, whose body was found by police on 4 May 2020 in her South Melbourne apartment.
Prosecutors allege she was fatally stabbed by Barbaro in the early hours of April 29 before he went on the run.
Mr Gray, who owns and operates brothels in Melbourne and Sydney, met Ms Price in 2017 at Melbourne strip club The Men’s Gallery, where she was working as an exotic dancer.
He helped find housing for Ms. Price and her young son, wrote references and paid more than $150,000 over about three years for her rent, which included luxury CBD apartments.
Barbaro’s lawyer Rishi Nathwani called Mr. Gray Mrs. Price’s “sugar daddy” as he had spent thousands of dollars supporting Mrs. Price and members of her family, but Mr. Gray denied this.
Barbaro’s lawyer Rishi Nathwani referred to Mark Gray (pictured, fleeing the media out of court on Tuesday) as Ms Price’s ‘sugar daddy’
“I’m not a sugar daddy … Anyone who comes to this courtroom will tell you the same thing,” said Mr. Gray.
After testifying, Mr Gray, disguised with an umbrella and sunglasses, was escorted out of court by a guard through a side door to avoid the media.
He will return to the witness stand on Wednesday when Barbaro’s trial continues.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
Lifeline 13 11 14