Stabbed to death by her co-worker after innocent act of kindness

Celeste Manno, 23, was murdered by her stalker in her own bed

- GAIL SHORTLAND

With her warm smile and considerate nature, Celeste Manno had a natural ability to make everyone feel special.

Celeste wouldn’t have thought twice as she kindly walked her colleague Luay Sako out of the building on the day he was sacked from his job in June 2018.

Celeste had briefly been Sako’s line manager at a call centre in Melbourne before he was let go. Sako, who had moved to Australia from Iraq with his family when he was a child, had only worked at the call centre for a few weeks.

As Celeste accompanied him to his car, Sako suddenly kissed her on the cheek. It was uninvited and took her by surprise, but Celeste brushed it off and returned to work. But just weeks later, the messages began.

Sako set up Instagram accounts and started endlessly messaging Celeste. “I’m sorry, but I can’t stop thinking about you,” he wrote. “I have never felt like this about anybody in my entire life – it’s bordering along an OCD. I’m totally infatuated with you, captivated and fascinated by you. You’re all I think about. This obsession with you, which is a crush, is an addictive and destructive feeling that is interfering with my ability to concentrate, deal with others and go about my daily routine.”

Celeste was shocked by the intensity of the messages, but politely explained their relationship was purely professional and she wished him the best in his new job. But Sako continued to message. When she blocked him, Sako just set up new accounts. The messages were sexual and growing increasingly aggressive as she pleaded with him to stop.