In a shocking crime, a 53-year-old man, Joe Lo Bianco, brutally murdered his wife, Kaliopi Roumeliotis, and then led his daughter to discover the body. The tragic incident occurred on November 30, 2022, when Lo Bianco attacked his wife in their garage and then calmly waited at his in-laws’ home for his daughter to return from school. When his daughter asked about her mother, he suggested she might find her in the garage, leading the young girl to discover her mother’s lifeless body.
Initially, Lo Bianco claimed the death was accidental, insisting that his wife had tripped and hit her head on a metal pipe. However, he later confessed to police and pleaded guilty to the murder in court.
What Happened on the Day of the Murder?
According to reports, Lo Bianco ambushed his wife in the garage, repeatedly striking her with a metal car ramp. He staged the scene to appear as though she had accidentally hit her head and hid his bloody clothes in the garage. Afterward, Lo Bianco calmly visited his in-laws next door, waiting for his daughter to return home from school. When she arrived and inquired about her mother, Lo Bianco directed her to the garage, where she found the horrifying scene. The child immediately called for help, prompting her mother’s family to rush to the scene. Despite her sister-in-law’s efforts to perform CPR, Kaliopi Roumeliotis was pronounced dead by paramedics.
Lo Bianco initially lied to the authorities, claiming the death was an accident. However, he eventually admitted to the murder and pleaded guilty in the Victorian Supreme Court.
Impact on the Daughter and Family
In a heartbreaking victim impact statement read by her uncle, Arthur Roumelioti, the couple’s now 12-year-old daughter described the deep trauma caused by her mother’s death. “My mum’s love was like being in a hug forever – you made her let go,” the statement read. She continued, “I won’t ever get to be in her aura, sing or dance with her again, joke with her again. What you did has left me with scars that will never heal.”
Arthur Roumelioti also expressed his pain, stating, “I miss that she’s not able to see her daughter grow up and guide her through life… It’s not fair she’s not with us anymore. She still had so much life to give.”
Legal Proceedings and Arguments
During the court proceedings, it was revealed that Lo Bianco and Roumeliotis had often argued, particularly about finances, after Lo Bianco lost his job for refusing to get vaccinated during the COVID-19 pandemic. They had also argued on the day of the murder.
Lo Bianco’s defense attorney, Moya O’Brien, claimed that the murder was an impulsive act in the “heat of the moment” rather than a premeditated crime. She said Lo Bianco was remorseful and acknowledged that he would never have a relationship with his daughter again.
On the other hand, prosecutor Nanette Rogers described the attack as “unprovoked, vicious, and sustained.” She pointed out that Lo Bianco had taken deliberate steps to conceal his crime after the murder, demonstrating calm and calculated behavior.
Lo Bianco now faces justice for his horrific actions, leaving behind a devastated family.
