In the quiet suburb of Quakers Hill, where family homes line the streets and community ties run deep, a brutal double stabbing on the morning of December 28, 2025, shattered the illusion of safety. Anaseini Waqavuki, a 38-year-old mother of three originally from Fiji, was found dead in her kitchen with multiple stab wounds. Outside on the footpath lay Epi Naitini, 30, also stabbed and fighting for life—he later succumbed in hospital. Within hours, police arrested Anare Vunitabua, 47, Ms Waqavuki’s former partner, charging him with two counts of murder.

What followed was a media frenzy: headlines screamed “love triangle gone wrong,” painting a picture of jealousy-fueled passion erupting in violence. But now, a close friend has stepped forward in a raw, emotional interview, declaring, “It’s time I spoke out!” Alisi Tuilevu, Ms Waqavuki’s best friend, is breaking her silence to set the record straight. In exclusive revelations to the Daily Mail and echoed across social media, she dismantles the sensational narrative, exposing what she calls the real tragedy: years of domestic violence, a courageous escape attempt, and a fatal failure to protect a woman who had already endured too much.

This is not just a story of two deaths—it’s a stark indictment of how quickly society reduces intimate partner violence to “romantic drama,” and how victims’ voices are often drowned out by rumors. As the Fijian-Australian community mourns, and as Ms Waqavuki’s three young children face a future without their mother, her friend’s words demand attention: the truth is darker, more urgent, and far less titillating than the headlines suggest.

The Night of Horror: A Timeline of Terror

Just before 5 a.m. on that fateful Sunday, emergency services rushed to Illabo Street in Quakers Hill after reports of a disturbance. Inside the home, officers discovered Ms Waqavuki lifeless in the kitchen, her body bearing the marks of extreme violence. Outside, Naitini collapsed on the footpath with stab wounds to his stomach and hands—wounds severe enough to end his life hours later at Liverpool Hospital.

Vunitabua, the accused, allegedly handed himself in to police shortly after. He was charged with two counts of murder, and the case was immediately framed as domestic violence-related. Superintendent Jason Joyce of Riverstone Police told reporters: “We believe the deceased male and female were in a relationship; however we’re still working to determine the nature and duration of that relationship.” But early speculation exploded online: Was this a classic love triangle? Jealous ex strikes back?

The rapid labeling was understandable in a 24-hour news cycle—yet it proved dangerously misleading. Within days, family and friends pushed back fiercely. Ilisapeci Naitini, Epi’s grieving widow, issued a public plea for compassion, denying any affair: “International media reports and rumours circulating on social media describing the deaths as a ‘love triangle gone wrong’ had caused pain to my family.” She described her husband as a devoted family man, not a romantic rival.

The real bombshell came from Alisi Tuilevu. In her interview, she revealed: “The initial information provided by police was incorrect. The two alleged victims were only friends. They were not housemates. We were all friends.” She emphasized that Naitini was married with children, and any suggestion of a romantic entanglement was false and hurtful. “He is married with children,” she stated firmly, underscoring the damage of unchecked rumors.

Years of Toxicity: The Hidden Struggle Behind the Headlines

According to Tuilevu, Ms Waqavuki—affectionately known as “Nada”—had been in a six-year relationship with Vunitabua before finally ending it just two months prior. The breakup was not sudden; it followed repeated attempts to leave. “Nada had a huge heart and was full of forgiveness,” Tuilevu explained. “So naturally she would forgive and take him back” when he promised change.

But the promises never lasted. Tuilevu described a pattern of escalating control, emotional abuse, and fear. Ms Waqavuki had confided in friends about the toxicity, and her mother, Saini Rokoiwati, had even urged her during a visit to leave for the sake of her children: Joshua, Salote, and Rupeni. “I saw signs of toxic behaviour with her partner and told her, luvequ, please leave this relationship and think of your children,” Rokoiwati shared in a heartbroken interview. “I did not expect the situation to turn this violent.”

Nada had big dreams for her kids—plans to move them to better opportunities, perhaps even overseas for education. She was building a new life of peace and hope, her friend said. Yet, the cycle of violence proved lethal. Tuilevu’s revelation shifts the narrative from scandal to systemic failure: this was not a spontaneous “triangle” explosion but the tragic endpoint of prolonged domestic abuse.

Ms Waqavuki becomes the 73rd woman killed in Australia in 2025—part of a grim tally that advocates like Sherele Moody have tracked relentlessly. “Known to police,” Moody noted in a viral post, highlighting how often such phrases appear in reports of women killed by intimate partners. The “love triangle” label, she argues, distracts from the real issue: coercive control and the failure to intervene effectively.

The Fijian Community in Mourning: Cultural Ties and Collective Grief

All three individuals at the center—victim, alleged perpetrator, and the second deceased—hail from Fiji, deepening the tragedy’s impact on the diaspora. In Sydney’s Fijian community, the news spread like wildfire, with vigils, fundraisers, and calls for support. A GoFundMe for Ms Waqavuki’s children quickly gained traction, aiming to bring Joshua, Salote, and Rupeni from Fiji to Perth for the funeral and provide long-term stability.

Rokoiwati described her daughter as selfless, always putting others first. “She had big dreams for her kids,” she said, choking back tears. The family is now navigating grief while fighting rumors that have compounded their pain. Tuilevu’s decision to speak out was driven by a desire to honor her friend properly: “Nada deserves the truth, not sensationalism.”

Broader Implications: Domestic Violence, Media Framing, and Calls for Change

This case exposes how media framing can harm victims and families. The “love triangle” trope—seductive, dramatic—sells clicks but minimizes the gendered nature of violence. Advocates argue it revictimizes women by implying shared blame or romantic intrigue. In reality, statistics show most intimate partner homicides stem from control, not jealousy alone.

Australia’s domestic violence crisis remains dire. With 73 women killed in 2025 (and counting), organizations like White Ribbon and the Fijian Violence Prevention Network demand action: better enforcement of AVOs, more funding for shelters, and cultural sensitivity in Fijian-Australian communities where family honor can complicate reporting.

Tuilevu’s words carry weight: “We were too late.” They echo a painful truth—many women reach out, but systems fail to protect them. Ms Waqavuki tried to leave, forgave too often, and ultimately paid the ultimate price.

A Legacy of Love and a Plea for Justice

As the legal process unfolds—Vunitabua remains in custody awaiting trial—the focus must shift from scandal to remembrance. Ms Waqavuki was a mother with dreams, a friend with a forgiving heart, a woman who deserved safety. Her children’s future now depends on community support.

Alisi Tuilevu’s brave decision to speak out—”It’s time I spoke out!”—reminds us that silence enables myths. The real story is one of courage amid fear, love twisted into violence, and a desperate need for change.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) in Australia or equivalent services in your country. Anaseini Waqavuki’s life mattered. Her story must not be reduced to a headline—it must spark real reform.