Isla Bell’s ‘soul sister’ breaks her silence following her devastating death – after details emerged about Melbourne woman’s alleged murder
A close friend of Melbourne teenager Isla Bell says her “heart cries out” for the 19-year-old after she was allegedly murdered, remembering Ms Bell as a “beautiful soul sister”.
Ms Bell was last seen leaving her home in Brunswick at around 6pm on October 4, but is said to have kept in touch with a friend until shortly after midnight on October 7.
Human remains believed to be the missing 19-year-old but yet to be formally identified were discovered at a waste management facility in Dandenong on Tuesday morning.
Marat Ganiev, 53, was charged with murdering Ms Bell on October 7 in St Kilda East, while Eyal Yaffe, 57, is accused of assisting an offender after police raided two properties in Bentleigh East and Mulgrave.
Court documents obtained by Daily Mail Australia revealed that before her death, Ms Bell told a friend she had found “the best sugar daddy” who “showered her with gifts”.
Friend Pixie Rivalland remembered Ms Bell as her “beautiful kindred spirit” in a powerful post.
“My heart cries out for you,” Ms. Rivalland wrote.
“I love you so much.”
Isla Bell was reportedly murdered. Her body was found on Tuesday morning on a tip from Dandenong
Mrs Bell had a ‘vibrant soul’, ‘loving heart’ and an ‘unforgettable spirit’, with Mrs Rivalland posting a separate tribute in the Facebook group Help Us Find Isla Bell.
“This world was so lucky to be blessed by your presence,” Ms. Rivalland wrote.
‘It feels like a piece of my soul is gone. Isla was kind, gentle, loving, intelligent and ambitious. Ms. Rivalland continued, writing that Ms. Bell had “hopes and dreams” and “so many things to do, places to go and people to see.”
“Isla loved nature and animals, she loved exploring and making memories, she loved being an aunt, she loved her family, and she loved this world – despite its cruelty,” Ms Rivalland said.
“Isla deeply loved and protected everyone close to her. She would move mountains for her loved ones.”
She wrote that Mrs. Bell’s “strength and kindness were unique” and that she deserved to celebrate her 20th birthday with friends and family.
“We want Isla to be remembered for the woman she was, not for what happened to her,” she wrote.
“I love you forever.”
Mrs Bell is remembered by her ‘soul sister’ as a ‘kind, gentle, loving, intelligent and ambitious’ woman
According to a summary of the police case released by the court, Ms Bell was allegedly caught on CCTV entering Mr Ganiev’s St Kilda apartment at around 9.30pm on October 5 and was not seen leaving.
Police claim the footage captured a fight through a hole in a kitchen window at around 12.43am on October 7, which left Ms Bell falling to the floor.
“Investigators observed what appears to be Bell’s head moving back and forth as if she was being struck,” the letter said.
It is claimed the CCTV footage shows Mr Ganiev spending the next few days cleaning thoroughly before Mr Yaffe arrived on October 9 with a black fridge.
The refrigerator is said to have been in Mr Ganiev’s apartment for eight days before Mr Yaffe helped him remove it, wrapped in plastic, on October 17.
It was said to have been moved to various locations around Melbourne before a man found and opened the fridge.
The man claims a bag fell out and the man threw it in a trash bin, believing it to be animal remains.
According to the summary, Mr Ganiev allegedly claimed he did not kill Ms Bell, but used the refrigerator to transport her remains after she died at his home.
It is alleged that during his interview he told police that he did not have sex with her or buy her any gifts.
The summary alleges that Mr Yaffe told police he helped deliver a new refrigerator to Mr Ganiev and helped him dump the old one on a pick-up truck 300 meters from his home without removing its contents to know.
During his brief court appearance, Mr. Ganiev sat slumped over and rubbed his face when his lawyer Adrian Lewin noted that his client had been prescribed methadone and had not received a dose in two days.
The court was told that Mr Yaffe had intended to apply for bail but would instead seek to be released at a hearing on Friday.
He was brought into court on Wednesday afternoon, smiling and nodding to relatives as barrister Ian Hill QC requested Yaffe be seen by a nurse due to a bad back.