A father-of-four accused of brutally stabbing his estranged wife to death in her backyard just moments after she dropped their children at primary school has pleaded guilty to murder.
Jessie James Tumaliuan, 41, of Hoppers Crossing in Melbourne’s west, was accused of stabbing to death his estranged partner Czarina Gatbonton Tumaliuan, 42, at her home in March.
On Wednesday, the former merchant sailor fronted the Supreme Court of Victoria, where he pleaded guilty to a single charge of murder.
The plea followed a hearing in which Tumaliuan was provided an indication by Justice Amanda Fox that she would sentence him to up to 26 years behind bars if he pleaded guilty to the charge.
He would have to serve 20 years of that sentence before becoming eligible for parole, she said.
The guilty plea marked a major twist nearly 10 months on from the killing.
In accepting the plea, Justice Fox vacated a previously scheduled trial date of February 3 and listed the matter for a pre-sentence plea hearing on March 13 where sentencing submissions are expected.
The court heard Tumaliuan’s defence team would likely have him assessed by a forensic psychiatrist before that hearing in the hope of further mitigating his anticipated sentence.
Father-of-four Jessie James Tumaliuan (left) pleaded guilty to murdering his estranged wife Czarina Gatbonton Tumaliuan (right)
Tumaliuan’s barrister Chris Hooper previously told the court the couple had been separated before the murder but his client had been continuing to attend their home.
On the day of the killing, Tumaliuan used a key to enter the home intending to confront his wife verbally about money, Mr Hooper said on Friday.
CCTV footage captured some of the murder, including Ms Tumaliuan’s screams as she ran into the backyard, but 10 seconds later the video went quiet.
Mr Hooper said his client accepted his wife was unarmed, while he had equipped himself with a knife.
‘No fault is laid at her feet at all,’ he said.
‘She was defenceless and there were multiple stab wounds.’
But he said Tumaliuan had not visited the house with murderous intent as he was initially unarmed.
‘Circumstances occurred off-camera … where his intention was not to kill, but to cause really serious injury, that’s his position,’ Mr Hooper said.
Police stopped parents from picking-up their children at the school exit near the home where Ms Tumaliuan’s body was found
Tumaliuan called triple zero for assistance three times, the court was told.
Prosecutor Nadia Kaddeche said an assault occurred inside the home before the victim ran outside and she could be heard saying she had been hurt.
‘There is no desisting from when she goes outside and it (the assault) continues not on camera, around the side of the house,’ Ms Kaddeche said.
Ms Tumaliuan had lived directly across the road from a primary school, with neighbours reportedly hearing her blood-curdling screams shortly after she was observed walking her kids to school.
Officers were called to the Retford Close home, across the road from Bethany Catholic Primary School in Werribee, about 9am that day.
One local, who wished to remain anonymous, said she saw a man whose clothes were covered in blood standing outside the home.
Another neighbour Darren Fudyma told Daily Mail Australia police had advised him someone had been stabbed inside a home which had been sealed off by detectives.
The popular businesswoman had run Bellizzima Online Shop while caring for her four children.
Jessie James Tumaliuan posted this image of him and his wife a little over a year before the murder
Father-of-four Jessie James Tumaliuan (left) murdered his estranged wife Czarina Gatbonton Tumaliuan (right)
Her Facebook page proudly boasted about her juggling act as mother and businesswoman, declaring herself a ‘working mum, businesswoman and supermum’.
The self-described foodie and adventurer would often encourage other mothers to follow their dreams.
‘Successful mothers/women are not the ones that never struggled. They are the ones that never give up, despite the struggles,’ she posted in 2023.
She had described her children as her ‘treasure, pride, joy and inspiration’.
Her husband had studied at the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy and worked as a sailor.
His social media pages are littered with photographs of himself and Ms Tumaliuan in happier times.
Many photos show his family enjoying good times at the beach and other fun events.
It remains unclear when the couple’s relationship soured.
He was taken back to prison and will return to court on March 13.
