Kim, who is 29 and has spoken publicly for the first time about her sister’s murder, told The Irrigator she was concerned when Stephanie didn’t contact her on her birthday. Stephanie would set the alarm on her mobile phone for midnight whenever a friend or family member was celebrating a birthday.

“That’s how we knew she was missing because I didn’t get any messages from her on my birthday,” Kim said.

Stephanie went missing on Sunday, April 5 and her body was found at Cocoparra National Park five days later.

Vincent Stanford, 24, has been charged with the aggravated sexual assault and murder of the teacher. 

Stephanie was due to marry her fiance Aaron Leeson-Woolley on April 11.

Kim said Stephanie was ecstatic when Aaron proposed in Thailand in January 2014. The bond between the two sisters was so strong that Kim had an inkling Stephanie was going to get some good news.

“I remember sending her a message saying ‘I don’t know why I’m sending you this but I feel like something really special is going to happen’,” Kim said.

Two days later, Aaron proposed.

“He’s just the love of her life,” Kim said. 

“They were best friends first. They worked at IGA together and had that real banter going.”

Kim said Stephanie, who was 26, could not wait to marry Aaron. “When we walked in her house when we were looking for her there was wedding stuff everywhere,” Kim said.

“All of Stephanie’s wedding would have been about everyone else having a good time.” 

Stephanie loved to garden and her family planted some flowers in her honour at Cocoparra National Park.

“Stephanie was as good as a person gets,” Kim said.

“She was the most thoughtful, generous person.”

Kim and Stephanie loved riding their tricycles together when they were young.

“She had the kind of laugh that made everyone laugh with her,” Kim said. 

Stephanie’s parents Merrilyn and Robert were devastated, but have been touched by the outpouring of emotion for their daughter.

The Irrigator