POLICE HUNT FOR BARBARO
GIRLFRIEND’S DEATH MYSTERY
A GANGLAND family member who is wanted by police for questioning in relation to the death of his girlfriend, moved away from the Gold Coast about 18 months ago.
Victorian Police have launched a nationwide hunt for Ricardo ‘Rick’ Barbaro after his girlfriend Ellie Price, a mother of a young boy, was found dead in her South Melbourne home on Monday.
Police believe the 26-yearold had been murdered several days before her body was found.
Ms Price’s mother raised the alarm after she had not heard from her daughter in over a week.
The Bulletin is not suggesting Barbaro killed Ms Price, only that police believe he may have information that could assist officers investigating the death.
The pair had been in a casual relationship since October.
Police have urged people not to approach the 33-yearold and instead call triple-0 immediately if they see him.
His last known address is the Gold Coast suburb of Southport.
He is also known to frequent Melbourne’s northwestern and western suburbs, and is described as being approximately 185cm tall with a solid build, black hair and olive complexion.
Detectives are also searching for Barbaro’s white 2009 Toyota Hiace van, registration 1OZ 8PC.
Ms Price’s white 2017 E 350 Mercedes sedan with pink number plates and registration 22 ZERO, is missing from her home and is also being sought by police.
Homicide detectives have released few details of the murder probe, including whether they have any suspects.
Rick Barbaro is the brother of the Gold Coast’s Harley Barbaro, an accused member of the Mongols, who has hit headlines recently for allegedly breaching anti-consorting laws.
Sources told the Bulletin Rick, who was raised on the Gold Coast, had moved to Melbourne about 18 months ago to follow an ex-partner.
Detective Inspector Tim Day urged Rick to come forward if he had any information.
He also issued a warning to Rick’s family, including those still based on the Gold Coast.
“Friends and family need to be acutely aware and I don’t think they need to put themselves in a position of a potential charge as an accessory for either harbouring or assisting Barbaro,” Mr Day said. “I don’t think anybody wants to find themselves in that position and they need to contact the police.”
The Barbaro family has a checkered history that dates back to 1990 when their grandfather, Pasquale, was executed outside his home in Brisbane and then in 2003 their cousin, another Pasquale, was shot dead alongside gangster Jason Moran in a Melbourne gangland ‘hit’ made famous in the Underbelly TV series.
Harley has been making headlines on the Gold Coast recently for being charged after allegedly attending a private gym on Anzac Day in breach of both anti-consorting laws and social distancing measures.
He has previously been acquitted of a consorting charge after being the first person in the state to plead not guilty to the offence.
In November 2016, Rick’s brother Pasquale Barbaro, 35, was shot five times as he got into his Mercedes-Benz in Sydney suburb Earlwood.
An uncle, also Pasquale Barbaro, was jailed for 30 years as the ringleader of the infamous “Tomato Tins’’ ecstasy importation, seized by Australian customs, in Melbourne in 2007.
In 2017, another brother Rossario Dom Barbaro committed suicide on the Gold Coast.
It’s believed the 30-yearold was devastated and spiralled out of control following the execution of his older brother seven months earlier.
Tracey Gangell said her daughter had a “heart of gold” and lived for her four-yearold son, Mostafa.
“Everyone loved her. She would do anything for anyone and help out in any way she could,” her mother said.
Ms Price’s son was in Tasmania with his grandmother when she was killed and is yet to learn of her death.
“He asked ‘where is mum?’ on Tuesday. I don’t know how to tell him. He absolutely adored her,” Ms Gangell said.
According to Ms Gangell, her daughter’s relationship was volatile.
“She knew I was dead against him,” Ms Gangell said.
For crisis support call Lifeline: 131 114.