The ex-boyfriend of Sydney dentist Preethi Reddy didn't have a violent history that suggested he was capable of committing the obsessive attack which killed the "bright" young woman.
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Detectives are still working to piece together exactly what happened to the much-loved Penrith doctor whose stabbed body was found stuffed inside a suitcase in the boot of her own car on Tuesday night.
What is known is her now dead ex-boyfriend, Tamworth dentist Harshwardhan Narde, drove 400 kilometres to attend a dental conference at St Leonards in Sydney's north where he met up with Dr Reddy over the weekend.
Dr Reddy told Narde she had "moved on" and intended to "start a new life" with her new boyfriend, according to a police source.
Her previous rejections had failed to deter the "obsessed" Narde, police believe.
In the early hours of Sunday morning, it's thought Dr Reddy visited Narde's Swissotel room in the CBD.
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She phoned her family at 11am, telling them she'd head home after having a late breakfast. It was the last time they heard from her.
Investigators believe Dr Reddy visited Narde's hotel to make it clear the relationship was over and he then stabbed her multiple times.
Narde did not have a violent criminal history or a record of domestic or family violence, a police source told AAP.
But it's thought he stuffed her body into a suitcase, loaded her into her car and dumped the VW Golf in Kingsford near the University of NSW.
Her family raised the alarm when she did not return to Penrith on Sunday night.
In a statement released on behalf of Dr Reddy's family, her sister, Nithya, said: "Words cannot capture the pain we are feeling with the passing of my beautiful big sister."
"Preethi was a bright light, loveable, kind, and protective of all whom were lucky enough to have been loved and cared for by her.
"Prior to this unthinkable event, she had been the happiest I'd ever seen her -- she was living her best life."
After dumping her body, AAP understands, Narde travelled back to Tamworth.
He was interviewed by police on Monday but not arrested.
Later that night he smashed his BMW headlong into a fully-laden semi-trailer on the New England Highway.
The driver of the truck was able to extricate himself from the fiery wreckage but Narde was killed.
Less than 24 hours later police made the gruesome discovery of Dr Reddy's remains.
Dr Reddy worked at Glenbrook Dental Surgery in the lower Blue Mountains.
Her colleagues posted a tribute on Facebook on Wednesday saying staff at the clinic were "in mourning" after hearing the news of her death.
An online profile from 2015 says Narde, or "Harsh" as he was known to friends, was working in NSW after being qualified as a dentist in Australia in 2013.
He graduated in dentistry in his native Bangalore, India, in 2009.
Support is available for those who may be distressed by phoning Lifeline 13 11 14; Mensline 1300 789 978; Kids Helpline 1800 551 800; beyondblue 1300 224 636; Domestic Violence Line 1800 65 64 63; 1800-RESPECT 1800 737 732
Australian Associated Press
