Australian True Crime Shortcut: The 'Beast' Who Murdered Celeste Manno Will One Day Walk Free
This is a "Shortcut" episode. It’s a shortened version of this week’s more detailed full episode, which is also available on our feed.
On the night of November 16th, 2020, 23 year old Celeste Manno was stabbed to death in her bed.
The murderer was a man she'd met very briefly at work over a year before who'd been stalking her relentlessly ever since.
Luay Sako, 39, smashed through her bedroom window with a hammer and stabbed Celeste 23 times in two and a half minutes.
By the time her mother, Aggie, was woken by the commotion and made it down the hallway to her daughter's bedroom, it was too late.
Earlier this year, Sako was sentenced to 36 years in prison with a minimum of 30. It came as a great shock and disappointment to Celeste's family and their supporters who'd hoped for a life sentence.
There was further disappointment when the Office of Public Prosecutions announced they would not pursue the option to seek a life sentence on appeal.
Aggie Di Mauro and her son Alessandro Manno are our guests today on Australian True Crime. They're here to share their story with us, but also to tell us about their campaign to change the way our legal system deals not only with stalking but also with sentencing.
Links to support Celeste Manno's family:
Sign the petition for Mandatory Life Sentences for Murder
Event for Celeste's Ride for Justice Rally (May 26th at Parliament House, Melbourne)
Celeste's Ride for Justice Facebook group
For Support:
Lifeline on 13 11 14
13 YARN on 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support phone line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples)
1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732
CREDITS:
Host: Meshel Laurie. You can find her on Instagram
Guest: Aggie Di Mauro & Alessandro Manno
Executive Producer/Editor: Matthew Tankard
This episode contains extra content from 60 Minutes, 9 News and ABC News.
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