Daniela D'Addario has been described as a beautiful woman who was caught up with a man leading a double life with a family overseas.
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Police believe they found the body of Ms D'Addario, 35, in the boot of a car on the NSW far south coast on Wednesday night, after family reported her and Canberra man Josaia (Joey) Vosikata, 27, missing on Monday.
NSW Police arrested on Thursday afternoon a 27-year-old man who is believed to have fled the car after police pulled it over near Bermagui, on the NSW south coast. While no charges have yet been laid, he is expected to face the Batemans Bay Magistrates Court on Friday morning.
ACT police will seek to extradite the man for the alleged murder of Ms D'Addario.
Close friend Chris Reid and his wife, Kathryn, became friends with Ms D'Addario six years ago when she moved next door to their house in the Canberra suburb of Palmerston.
Mr Reid, who now lives in Brisbane, said Ms D'Addario had been dating Mr Vosikata on and off the past few months before she found out he had a wife and children in Fiji.
"His parents were in the same unit block as she was. They bumped into each other there and were on and off dating for about four months," Mr Reid said.
"Daniela found out he had a wife and kids back in Fiji ... probably a month ago. When Daniela found out, at this stage, this bloke was living in Daniela's unit, not paying any rent and sending money back to his wife and kids in Fiji.
"She obviously flipped and broke up with him. For whatever reason, they got back together."
Mr Reid said he and his wife "got a bad vibe" from talking to Ms D'Addario about the relationship.
His wife and Ms D'Addario kept in touch regularly and last spoke a week ago.
Mr Reid described the 35-year-old Ms D'Addario, who worked as a public servant in Canberra and previously taught at Canberra High School, as "a beautiful girl".
"She's funny, she's witty, she's always the life of the party. She's gorgeous - with beautiful big eyes. Always generous and caring and a big animal lover," he said.
"She was very caring and very intelligent and always wanting to help."
Mr Reid said he had spoken to Ms D'Addario's family who were "devastated".
But family and friends had banded together to adopt Ms D'Addario's pets.
"She's a big animal lover and her cat is siblings with our cat," he said.
"Her mum's going to adopt her cat. She recently got a puppy ... we're going to adopt her puppy in Brisbane and look after it."
