A Brisbane singer and carer, identified as Velvet Crystal Sky Pesu, has been found dead at her client's home in Logan, sparking a major police investigation and a dramatic interstate manhunt.
A Tragic Discovery in Buccan
The body of 46-year-old Pesu was discovered with injuries on the back steps of a two-storey house on Waterford Tamborine Rd in Buccan. The grim find was made by police around 2.30am on Monday. At the time, the male resident of the property, who was also Pesu's client, was not present.
The client, 36-year-old Wael Abdallah Saleem Alfar, a mechanic originally from Sydney, became the subject of an urgent search. He was later arrested on the same day in Kempsey, on the NSW Mid North Coast, following a single-vehicle crash into a culvert. The arrest location is approximately a five-hour drive from the Buccan property.
A High-Speed Police Pursuit Across NSW
Alfar's arrest came after an alleged dangerous police chase. It is claimed he led officers on a high-speed pursuit from Coffs Harbour, reaching speeds of about 200km/h. The pursuit, which spanned roughly 80 kilometres through towns including Valla, Nambucca Heads, Macksville, Warrell Creek and Eungai Creek, involved Alfar allegedly swerving around road spikes and driving at police, forcing officers to jump to safety.
Wael Alfar has been charged with multiple offences related to the pursuit, including dangerous driving. He has not been charged in connection with Pesu's death at this stage. He was refused bail, and detectives from Queensland have travelled to New South Wales to interview him.
Remembering Velvet Crystal Sky Pesu
Velvet Pesu was a multifaceted creative, known as a singer-songwriter, musician, and visual artist. She had been reported missing from Ashgrove around 1am on Monday, after she was last seen at The Gap about 7pm on Saturday. A mother and dedicated friend, Pesu was deeply involved in music therapy and had spent more than 26 years in the music industry.
Her professional profile described her as an experimental visual artist and musician. She had performed on stage just days before her death and had appeared at notable events such as the Korean Experimental Art Festival, Woodford Folk Festival, and the Off Other Film Festival.
In a heartfelt statement, Pesu's daughter remembered her mother as courageous, kind, generous, and giving. "She bought instruments for children in Zimbabwe to learn about their culture and acknowledge their music," she told 7NEWS. "She was amazing and we loved her a lot."
Ongoing Investigation and Community Appeal
The cause of Pesu's death remains undetermined, pending the results of a post-mortem examination. Meanwhile, police are continuing their investigation and have appealed to the public for assistance.
Investigators are seeking dashcam footage from vehicles travelling east along Acton Street towards Waterford Tamborine Road in Buccan, between 7.30pm on Saturday, January 10 and 2.30pm on Sunday, January 11.
Neighbours revealed that Alfar had moved into the Buccan property late last year and had been renovating it. They indicated his family, who live in Sydney, had been planning to relocate to Queensland to live with him.
