A mother of two from Sydney is remembered as a vibrant presence, described as someone who illuminated every room, before her tragic murder by her partner in their home.
Vincent Carlino, aged 40, admitted to the murder of Shereen Kumar, which took place in July 2022.
After the crime, Carlino concealed Kumar’s body in black plastic bags and disposed of it in the bushland near their residence in Dural, located in Sydney’s north-west.
He then told police she went missing after going for a walk in her pyjamas.
Speaking outside the NSW Supreme Court in Sydney, friend Erika Wadlow-Smith said Kumar had a kindness that is not often seen.
“She was a very measured, capable woman, who was there for other people, loved everything, especially dogs,” she said on Friday.
“She was extraordinary, she lit up every room that she walked into.”
Wadlow-Smith said politicians must work to address domestic violence, and to stop more women from losing their lives.
“That is at the root of so many relationships going on in homes around Australia and the world at the moment,” she said.
“We have to look to rectifying it and stopping this onslaught.”
Justice Sarah McNaughton was brought to tears in court as she recalled a victim impact statement read by a family member.
Carlino was sentenced to 21 years in prison, and 15 years without parole.
“This was an attack on a woman in her own home where she was entitled to feel safe and secure,” she said on Friday.
Carlino did not intend to kill Kumar but he did intend to cause grievous bodily harm, Justice McNaughton said.
She described his steps to cover up the murder as “deceptive”.
Carlino had no previous convictions and was medicated for anxiety and depression.
On the day of Kumar’s death, he tried calling her more than 120 times in less than an hour.
“It’s clear that Mr Carlino will require ongoing support and therapy, especially if he is with another domestic partner,” Justice McNaughton said.
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