Thousands of miles from the blood-soaked crime scene in Sydney’s Quakers Hill, a grieving widow in Fiji has delivered a raw, tear-filled plea that has silenced cruel online speculation and forced the world to confront the human cost of reckless rumours. Ilisapeci Naitini, wife of 30-year-old Epi Naitini—who was brutally stabbed to death alongside his friend Anaseini Waqavuki on December 28, 2025—stood before cameras and begged: “Please stop.” Stop the vicious messages claiming her husband was cheating. Stop turning a senseless act of violence into a salacious affair. Stop destroying the memory of the devoted father and husband she knew.
In emotional interviews with Fijian media on January 3, 2026, Ilisapeci revealed the devastating impact of the gossip storm: more than 30 hurtful messages flooded her family’s phones in just 48 hours, accusing Epi of betraying her for Anaseini. “The rumours are false,” she said, voice breaking. “They are killing us all over again.” But one intimate detail she shared has struck a profound chord globally, making even the harshest critics pause and reconsider everything they thought they knew about the tragedy.
Epi called her on Facebook Messenger at approximately 1:30 a.m. Fiji time on the morning he was killed—just hours before the fatal attack. Ilisapeci was asleep with their two young daughters and missed the call. When she woke to multiple missed notifications, it was already too late. “If only I had answered,” she wept to The Fiji Times. “I just want to hear his voice one more time.” That routine late-night check-in from a loving husband working overseas to support his family stands in heartbreaking contrast to the “love triangle” narrative that dominated headlines and social media feeds.

Epi (full name Epineri Naitini) and Ilisapeci married in December 2022 in a joyful Fijian ceremony surrounded by family. They welcomed two daughters: Lavenia Kaloubula Naitini, now 6, and Karalaini Tabua Volaunitoga Naitini, just 2. To give them a better future, Epi left Fiji shortly after the wedding on a student visa, studying to become a technician in Australia while working long hours. Ilisapeci stayed behind to raise the girls, sustained by his unwavering routine: daily video calls and weekly money transfers home. “He never forgot us,” she said. “Every day he called. Every week he sent money. He lived for us.”
The brutal events unfolded before dawn on Sunday, December 28, 2025, at Anaseini Waqavuki’s home on Illabo Street. Police received frantic calls about screams around 4:50 a.m. Officers arrived to find 38-year-old Anaseini dead in her kitchen from multiple stab wounds. Epi, stabbed in the stomach and hands, had managed to stumble outside onto the footpath, desperately seeking help. Paramedics rushed him to Westmead Hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries later that morning. Anare Vunitabua, 47, Anaseini’s ex-partner of six years, was arrested nearby, allegedly still holding the knife. He was charged with two counts of murder and did not apply for bail.
Early reports swiftly labelled the killings a “love triangle gone wrong,” implying Epi was Anaseini’s new boyfriend and that jealousy drove the attack. Social media exploded with speculation, many assuming Epi must have been unfaithful to his wife back in Fiji. But friends and family insist the truth is far simpler—and far more tragic. Epi and Anaseini were close friends within Sydney’s vibrant Fijian community, bonded by shared culture and mutual support. Anaseini’s best friend Alisi Tuilevu told reporters: “Epi was only a friend to her and myself. They were not in a relationship. We were all just friends helping each other.”
Ilisapeci’s plea has exposed how quickly misinformation spreads and how deeply it wounds. Scrolling through accusatory messages while trying to explain to her daughters why Daddy won’t come home has been unbearable. “How can people say these things when they didn’t know him?” she asked. Her courage in sharing the story of that final missed call has shifted public sentiment dramatically. Comments sections once filled with judgment now overflow with apologies and sympathy: “I’m so sorry for believing the rumours,” “Rest in peace Epi, a good husband and father,” “Forgive us for spreading lies.”
This tragedy highlights a dangerous pattern in reporting domestic violence cases. Advocacy organizations across Australia warn that framing such incidents as “love triangles” minimizes coercive control and perpetrator responsibility while subtly blaming victims. In reality, friends say Anaseini had ended her relationship with Vunitabua two months earlier after years marked by alleged control and fear. Epi’s presence that night likely stemmed from community solidarity—perhaps staying to support a friend in distress—making him an innocent bystander caught in a deadly escalation.
The Fijian diaspora in both Australia and Fiji has united in profound grief. Candlelit vigils in Sydney feature traditional hymns and prayers, while fundraising campaigns support funeral costs and flights for relatives. Epi’s father, Inoke Naitini, described his son as “responsible and caring,” noting he had called just days before Christmas to organize family finances. Ilisapeci’s Facebook tribute—“Thank you, my love, for everything you did for our family”—has been shared thousands of times, accompanied by photos of Epi beaming with his daughters.
As Vunitabua remains in custody awaiting his next court appearance, questions linger about missed warning signs. Friends hint Anaseini had expressed fears after the breakup, though no formal complaints were lodged. Police continue gathering evidence, including phone records and witness statements.

Ilisapeci’s raw vulnerability—the regret over a missed call, the pain of defending her husband’s honour—has humanized a story that risked becoming just another headline. Her words serve as a powerful reminder: behind every tragedy are real families, real love, real loss. Rumours may spread in hours, but truth—and compassion—can prevail when someone brave enough speaks out.
The world now echoes Ilisapeci’s plea: Please stop. Let Epi be remembered as the devoted husband and father he was. Let his family grieve in peace.