In a tragic incident in Melbourne’s west, 81-year-old Marija Ivankovic was found dead in her kitchen by friends who arrived for a card night. Her son, 57-year-old Gordon Steven Ivankovic, had fatally assaulted her during an argument earlier that day on June 12, 2023. After applying pressure to her face and neck, he fled the scene, leaving her lifeless body for friends to discover hours later.
Ivankovic later pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the Victorian Supreme Court, where he faces a maximum sentence of eight years in prison. The court heard emotional testimonies from his sister, Janine Staples, who expressed her profound grief, saying, “The pain of her loss will stay with me forever.” Her daughter, Sacha, also lamented that her grandmother’s death had disrupted her life plans.
Historical incidents of domestic disputes between Gordon and his mother had been documented, with police attending their home multiple times between 1993 and 2019. Following the incident, he returned to the crime scene asking if his mother was alright, and was only arrested on June 23 after evading authorities.
Defence counsel indicated that Ivankovic suffered from trauma and mental health issues, which contributed to his actions. The prosecution, however, argued for a stern sentence due to the severity of the crime committed in the victim’s home. The sentencing is pending.