The man charged with the alleged stabbing murder of a nurse in Sydney was her husband’s ‘best friend’, who found her lying in a pool of blood in their bedroom.
Erin Gilbert, 42, was reportedly stabbed to death in the rental unit she shared with husband Nicholas Gilbert, 38, at Merrylands in western Sydney before 11:30pm on Easter Sunday.
Mr. Gilbert was arrested by police shortly after his wife’s death and spent nearly 24 hours in a police cell, covered in his wife’s blood, and was told he could be charged with her death.
However, he was released without charge and insists he had nothing to do with his wife’s death.
After a lengthy police investigation, it was confirmed on Tuesday afternoon that 32-year-old Morten Jensen, a friend of Mr Gilbert, has been charged with murder.
Daily Mail Australia can also reveal that Mr Gilbert – who had remained in the same unit where she was killed – is now ‘out on the street with my clothes in a bag’ because he can’t pay the rent.
Erin Gilbert, 42, was allegedly stabbed to death in her Merrylands unit. She is pictured with her husband, Nicholas
Morten Jensen (pictured) has been charged with the alleged murder of Erin Gilbert
NSW Police will allege in court that Mr Jensen went to Ms Gilbert’s apartment ‘after a conflict escalated’ and ‘attacked her with a knife’.
“It is further alleged that the man fled on foot before getting on a black and red mountain bike,” a statement said.
Detectives believe Jensen “threw away the clothes he was wearing” as he allegedly fled the crime scene, which included a grown hooded sweater with a distinctive logo on the back.
Mr Jensen was taken into custody and will appear before Parramatta local court on Wednesday.
Mr Gilbert told 9 News on Monday that he was in contact with Mr Jensen on the night of the alleged murder but did not hear from him for the next few days.
“He was like a brother to me,” said Mr. Gilbert.
“I thought it was strange that he didn’t come to see me, he must be my best friend, he just disappeared.”
Ms. Gilbert’s body was reportedly discovered face down in a pool of blood in a unit block (forensic police pictured)
Two weeks after Ms. Gilbert’s death, Mr. Jensen was imprisoned on unrelated charges.
He is behind bars at Silverwater Correctional Facility, near Sydney’s Olympic Park.
Daily Mail Australia previously revealed that Mr Gilbert still lived in the unit he shared with his late wife, but was struggling to pay rent due to a brain injury suffered in a car crash a few years ago.
Earlier in July, he revealed that looking at the bloodstains on the carpet of the house they once shared made him break down.
“I’ll be out on the street for the next few days,” he said at the time.
“But it’s hard enough to stay there because of the (stains) in the carpet — I tear every time I see them.”
“But then again, it’s the only place I feel close to Erin.”
Nicholas Gilbert is said to have found his wife Erin Gilbert (pictured together) choking on her own blood.
The couple got married in 2020 and on their first wedding anniversary, she made him a box full of photos and love letters.
One letter read, “I don’t want you in my life, I need you in my life. You are not my friend, you are my best friend. I don’t like you, I love you and I’m glad I found you because I was absolutely lost without you.’
Another read: ‘Because of you all my other dreams have changed, now everything I ever wanted will be complete [because] you’re the one by my side.’
Mr. Gilbert said he got goosebumps when he found the letters.
“It brought me happy tears and I still smile when I think about it,” he said.