Warnbro mother Erica was stabbed to death, then set on fire. Her killer claims it was self-defence

A Perth man who was due to stand trial on Tuesday over the murder of his partner has pleaded guilty at the last minute – but claims he killed the 30-year-old mother in self-defence.

The development in the murder case of Erica Hay has devastated her close friends, who are aghast she has been portrayed as a perpetrator.

Luke Sekkouah, 37, stabbed Hay multiple times in the head, body and legs on April 25, 2024 after a protracted argument at her Warnbro public housing property.

The Supreme Court of Western Australia on Tuesday was told that after the violent killing, Sekkouah set Hay’s house on fire using a stolen bottle of turpentine.

He and the mother-of-four had only been in a relationship for a few months, but he lived at her home with Hay and her youngest child, aged three at the time.

Her other three children lived with their respective fathers.

Sekkouah had been living in Kalgoorlie, and after they moved in together neighbours reported the mood of the house changed with “doors closed all the time”, prosecutors said.

Around the time of her murder, there was an argument between Sekkouah and Hay about “drugs, money and another woman”.

A neighbour heard Hay tell Sekkouah: “It’s about time you started treating me like a girlfriend.”

The argument escalated and became violent.

Sekkouah admitted he stabbed Hay in the head, legs and body with a kitchen knife that punctured her heart and other vital organs.

Her young daughter, who lives with autism and has developmental delays, was still in the house.

Sekkouah then set the house on fire.

He took Hay’s daughter and ran from the house to a neighbour’s, where he said the house was on fire and that he did not know where Hay was.

Police found the victim’s body in the house and asked Sekkouah why he did not go back for her.

He told them he was only a lodger and did not know she was in the property.

Officers became suspicious when they noticed Sekkouah had no smoke damage or evidence of being in a burning house, and then discovered Hay had died from stab wounds.

During an interview, Sekkouah repeatedly denied being in a romantic relationship with Hay and told them she was always yelling, that she was crazy, but claimed he did not yell back.

Sekkouah pleaded not guilty, and the matter was set down for trial, but before it began he changed his plea – but did not accept the state’s facts of the matter, instead claiming he acted in self-defence.

Sekkouah’s lawyer Paul Bevilacqua told the court on Tuesday the argument between his client and Hay was “one-sided” and “contained aggression of sorts”.

“He armed himself because he was being attacked,” Bevilacqua said.

“There were elements of provocation.”

On Thursday, a trial of issues will be held ahead of Sekkouah’s sentencing that will hear from witnesses, including one of Hay’s former partners.

Sekkouah himself will also give evidence.

Outside court, Hay’s best friend Amanda Broad said she was devastated her friend was being painted as a perpetrator.

“To hear how she died, I couldn’t imagine what she was feeling at that time and for him to turn around and blame her for everything … he wasn’t the nicest person,” she said.

“She was beautiful. She was into her spiritual stuff. She was into her music.

“Her kids meant everything to her. She just wanted someone to love her for her and, sadly, Luke took advantage of that.”

National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).

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