A woman has shared the Tinder messages she exchanged with her ex-lover hours before he allegedly killed a school teacher he met on a dating app.
Ashley Gaddie, 33, is accused of murdering Dannielle Finlay-Jones, 31, at a house in Cranebrook in western Sydney on Sunday, after she introduced him to her friends at a pub the night before.
As police launched an investigation into Ms Finlay-Jones’ death, Karla Tauro, 28, was outside Gaddie’s Five Dock apartment 50km away in Sydney’s inner-west to collect her belongings, having ended their whirlwind romance two days earlier.
The tradesman was allegedly on the run for 48 hours before he was cornered by police on a clifftop in the Blue Mountains on Tuesday afternoon. The stand-off lasted almost 12 hours.
Gaddie was finally arrested after midnight on Wednesday and taken to Katoomba Police Station about noon, when he was charged with murder.
Ms Tauro detailed the brief relationship she had with Gaddie after meeting via Tinder in late November.
The 28-year-old told Daily Mail Australia that Gaddie made the first move, starting their conversation with: ‘Hi Karla, you’re f***ing gorgeous’.
Karla Tauro (pictured) dated Ashley Gaddie for three weeks before ending the whirlwind relationship last Friday and attempting to retrieve some of her possessions from his unit
Ashley Gaddie was on the run for 48 hours before police cornered him on a clifftop in the Blue Mountains on Tuesday afternoon in a stand-off that lasted 12 hours
When she told him she had Italian, English and New Zealand heritage he responded with ‘Marry me lol’.
The pair’s relationship moved quickly with the couple tending to stay in and cuddle, kiss and watch medical drama Grey’s Anatomy on the couch.
Ms Tauro said she was drawn to men with tattoos and a muscular physique.
‘He had the tattoos, he had the body, and he had the blue eyes,’ she said.
But the relationship broke down and Ms Tauro believes she may have been one of the last people to speak to Gaddie before he allegedly went on the run.
‘I’ve had a rollercoaster of emotions and high anxiety the past couple of days since last speaking to the suspect,’ she said.
She shared text messages showing the break-down of their relationship – with Gaddie texting her saying: ‘I’m not going to beg you to stay’ at 7.47pm on Saturday.
She asked when she could come and collect her belongings left at his home, writing: ‘Probably for the better. Cause I don’t think you want this anymore.’
Karla Tauro (pictured) went to Ashley Gaddie’s home on Sunday but he wasn’t home. She finally found out why when homicide detectives came to her home on Monday
That text exchange was sent on the same night Gaddie met up with Ms Finlay-Jones and was introduced to her friends at The Marsden Brewhouse in Marsden Park.
Gaddie didn’t reply until Sunday – the next day – when he allegedly escaped through the window at Ms Finlay-Jones’ house and fled to the Blue Mountains.
After a homicide detective spoke to her, Ms Tauro told her mother about the ordeal.
‘When I told her that there was a warrant out for his arrest for murder she said “you have a guardian angel somewhere, you have multiple angels”,’ she recalled.
‘I have three family members who have just passed away, and one of my best friends. Those four angels saved me, but unfortunately replaced me with someone else.’
On Sunday afternoon, Ms Tauro texted Gaddie to say she was on her way and again outside his Five Dock unit when he did not answer the door.
She assumed he had probably been out the night before and was still asleep.
Ms Tauro said the romance moved so quickly Gaddie cleared out several drawers for her after she spent four consecutive nights at his place (pictured is a mock-up of their text exchange)
Karla and Gaddie’s final text exchange which ended with him telling her she could pick up her belongings
Meanwhile, loved ones have left a growing number of heartfelt tributes for much-loved murdered teacher and football coach Ms Finlay-Jones.
Ms Finlay-Jones was the senior vice president for women at Ramsgate RSL Football Club in Sydney’s south.
‘The news of the passing has left us all in a state of shock and disbelief,’
‘Dannielle was a beautiful person, a life member of the club who was much loved and very well respected not only within our immediate football community but also throughout the Football St George association.
Dannielle Finlay-Jones, 31, (pictured) was found dead at her friend’s Cranebrook home on Sunday, sparking a manhunt for her alleged killer
A police operation was launched in the Blue Mountains on Tuesday afternoon as a 12 hour stand-off with Ashley Gaddie
Daily Mail Australia exclusively obtained Gaddie’s Tinder profile
‘Her tireless and unselfish commitment to football within the community, particularly women’s football, will be sorely missed and her legacy will be everlasting.
‘Our deep and respectful condolences go to her family especially her mother Jacky.’
Arncliffe Aurora FC also paid tribute.
‘Words just fail. After the tragic death of Dannielle Finlay -Jones…all of us here at AAFC would like to extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to her family and freinds at this very difficult time. Especially to her mother Jacky who must be going through things she never thought she would be faced with.
‘May her soul rest in eternal peace.’
On Tuesday night, response squads swarmed to the precarious clifftops at Fletcher’s Lookout in the Blue Mountains, with specially trained police negotiators engaging with the alleged fugitive who was on a cliff’s edge.
Police described the situation as an ongoing self-harm incident which continued well into the night before Gaddie was finally arrested about 12am Wednesday.
A manhunt for Gaddie was launched after his date Ms Finlay-Jones was found dead with severe head injuries at a friend’s Cranebrook home in western Sydney on Sunday afternoon.
Neighbours reported seeing a man climbing from a window and running from the house around 5am that morning.
Ms Finlay-Jones met up with Gaddie at The Marsden Brewhouse, in Marsden Park, on Saturday night after the pair recently met online
Police tape surrounded a home on Borrowdale Way, Cranebrook, on Monday as homicide detectives investigate the death of Dannielle Finlay-Jones
Daily Mail Australia earlier exclusively revealed how he wooed women on Tinder with mirror selfies and photos of himself cuddling puppies.
Gaddie’s profile features a gallery of pictures showing the tradie posing in hi-vis, kissing dogs and going on hikes.
In the ‘interests’ section, Gaddie boasts that he loves ‘sushi, travel, road trips, hiking, and the gym’.
In one photo, Gaddie can be seen posing in a light grey singlet and shorts inside an elevator as he takes a mirror selfie.
Other images show him wearing protective gear as he works on a construction site, on a nature walk, and taking a selfie with a waterfall in the background.
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In the ‘interests’ section of his Tinder profile (pictured) Gaddie boasts that he loves ‘sushi, travel, road trips, hiking, and the gym’
Ms Finlay-Jones was a teacher and was actively involved in female football