A Perth man who murdered his partner in a frenzied knife attack before setting her body on fire has been sentenced to at least 24 years in prison. The Supreme Court heard that Luke Hanif Sekkouah killed 30‑year‑old Erica Hay inside her Warnbro home in April 2024 in what the judge described as a “sustained, relentless and brutal” assault.
Justice Natalie Whitby said Sekkouah “forcefully stabbed” Ms Hay, inflicting 23 separate injuries, including wounds to her head, neck, heart and multiple internal organs. After the attack, he left the house, bought a six‑pack of beer, and stole a bottle of turpentine from a nearby store later returning to the scene and attempting to burn her body.
The court was told that a local pastor arrived at the home to deliver a bread hamper for Ms Hay, unaware of the horror inside. It was Sekkouah who answered the door.
The sentencing brings a grim end to a case that shocked the Warnbro community and left Ms Hay’s four children without their mother. Justice Whitby said the brutality of the attack and the attempt to destroy evidence warranted a lengthy period behind bars.
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