The Fatal Obsession: Celeste Manno’s Tragic End
In today’s interconnected world, social media has become an inseparable part of our daily lives. Sharing moments, memories, and photographs with family and friends is as natural as breathing. But with the vastness of social networks comes the inherent danger lurking behind the anonymity of the internet—stalking. Tragically, for Celeste Manno, a young woman from Melbourne, Australia, this online threat turned into a fatal nightmare that would claim her life in the early hours of November 16, 2020.
This is the story of Celeste Manno, who was stalked relentlessly for over a year, and despite numerous pleas for help, met a tragic end in her own home. This harrowing tale exposes the dangerous consequences of stalking, the failings of a justice system that took her concerns lightly, and the heart-wrenching aftermath that left her family devastated.
The Life of Celeste Manno
Celeste Manno was born on November 22, 1996, in Italy and moved to Melbourne, Australia, with her family while still young. She had two brothers, Jaden and Alessandro, and was extremely close to her mother, Aggie. Celeste's family life was warm and loving, with her mother always by her side. After graduating from high school, Celeste attended RMIT University, where she pursued her passion for understanding the human mind, majoring in criminology and psychology.
Celeste was a bright, caring, and compassionate young woman with big dreams. She aspired to become a psychologist, driven by her deep desire to help people. Her kindness extended to her relationships at work, where she thrived in a call center job at Serco in Mill Park, Melbourne, quickly rising to a team leader role. She was described as the “epitome of kindness,” and her infectious smile and warm personality left an indelible impression on everyone she met.
In her personal life, Celeste had found love with her boyfriend, Chris Risdale, whom she met at work. The two were happy together, and their relationship flourished. In November 2020, Celeste posted a photo on social media, proudly making her relationship with Chris official. But this seemingly innocent act of sharing happiness would become the catalyst for a tragedy no one could have foreseen.
The Stalker: Luay Sako
Luay Sako, the man who would ultimately take Celeste’s life, was a former coworker of hers at Serco. Sako, born in Iraq in 1984, migrated to Australia with his family in 1992. He had always been a loner, described as withdrawn and socially awkward, with no known history of romantic relationships. His obsession with Celeste began in June 2019, shortly after he was fired from Serco for poor performance. On his last day at work, Celeste, who had been his team leader, courteously shook his hand and wished him well. It was a simple gesture, but one that would spark an unhealthy fixation.
From that moment, Luay became infatuated with Celeste. His obsession escalated rapidly, and he began sending her inappropriate messages on Instagram, professing his love and stating that he couldn’t function without her. Despite Celeste’s polite rejections and attempts to distance herself, Luay’s harassment intensified. He created dozens of fake Instagram accounts to bypass her blocks, sending increasingly disturbing and sexually explicit messages.
One particularly chilling message read: “Celeste, if you had my body for a day, what would you do to me?” Celeste, horrified by the escalating harassment, sternly told Luay to stop contacting her. But it didn’t stop. Instead, his obsession turned into anger and resentment when he realized Celeste was not interested in him.
The Harassment and the System's Failure
By late 2019, after months of relentless harassment, Celeste confided in her mother, Aggie, and her boyfriend, Chris, about the torment she was enduring. With the support of her family, Celeste went to the police to report Luay’s behavior. However, her complaints were met with indifference. The police, who dismissed the stalking as a mere annoyance, advised Celeste to get off social media, essentially blaming the victim for sharing her life online. They failed to take her claims seriously, insisting that Luay hadn’t committed any crime yet.
Celeste's pleas for help were ignored. Even after months of harassment, which included Luay following her home, parking outside her workplace, and sending over 140 messages from various accounts, the police refused to act. It wasn’t until a full year after the harassment began, and at the urging of a more sympathetic officer, that Celeste filed for a personal safety intervention order against Luay.
Despite the intervention order, Luay persisted. He sent Celeste a three-page letter, pleading for her to revoke the order and claiming that he would move on. But this letter was a breach of the order itself, and when Celeste reported it to the police, they finally had grounds to arrest him. Luay was detained briefly in August 2020, but shockingly, he was released within 24 hours. This turn of events left Luay seething, and his obsession with Celeste darkened further.
The Crime
For the next three months, Celeste and her family lived in fear, even as Luay’s harassment seemed to stop. He remained radio silent, but unbeknownst to them, he was plotting. On the night of November 14, 2020, Celeste, feeling a rare sense of freedom, went on a date with Chris and posted a picture of their time together on Instagram. This picture would be the final straw for Luay.
In the early hours of November 16, 2020, at approximately 4:10 am, Luay executed his horrific plan. Armed with a hammer and a knife, he scaled the fence of Celeste's family home, smashed her bedroom window, and climbed inside. Aggie, awakened by the sound of breaking glass, rushed to her daughter’s room only to find her covered in blood, having been stabbed 23 times.
The attack was brutal and swift, lasting just minutes. Luay fled the scene, but his fate was sealed. Overcome by guilt or perhaps a desire to justify his actions, he drove straight to the police station, where he confessed to the crime. He told the officers: “She’s dead. You know what happened. It’s your fault.” These words, a haunting indictment of the system’s failure to protect Celeste, ring chillingly true.
The Trial and Aftermath
Despite Luay’s confession, his trial dragged on for nearly three years, largely due to his own manipulations. He tried to evade responsibility by claiming mental illness, arguing that he had been suffering from psychosis at the time of the murder. He fired his lawyers, represented himself, and even attempted to convince the court that he had only stabbed Celeste twice, rather than 23 times, as the forensic evidence showed.
Ultimately, the court saw through Luay’s attempts to feign insanity. In February 2024, he was sentenced to 36 years in prison, with the possibility of parole after 30 years. Justice John Dixon acknowledged Luay’s extreme personality disorder but stopped short of sentencing him to life in prison, a decision that left Celeste’s family heartbroken.
Aggie, devastated by the sentence, expressed her anger at the justice system’s failure to act when her daughter had reached out for help. She vowed to fight for stricter laws against stalking and for better protection for victims like Celeste. “The police showed him mercy,” she said, “but they showed my daughter none.”
A Call for Change
Celeste’s death has brought renewed attention to the inadequacies of current stalking laws in Australia and the dire need for reform. Stalking is an insidious crime that is often brushed aside until it’s too late. Almost half of all stalking victims never report the incidents, fearing that law enforcement won’t take them seriously. Celeste’s case is a heartbreaking reminder of what can happen when those fears are realized.
Her family now advocates for the electronic monitoring of stalkers and stronger penalties for those who violate personal safety intervention orders. They believe that if such measures had been in place, Celeste might still be alive today.
Conclusion
The tragic murder of Celeste Manno is a stark reminder of the dangers of stalking and the consequences of inaction. Despite her repeated attempts to seek help, the system failed her, and she paid the ultimate price. Her family, now burdened with the unimaginable grief of losing a daughter and sister, continues to fight for justice—not just for Celeste, but for all stalking victims.
Celeste’s story must serve as a wake-up call to society and the authorities. Stalking is not a harmless obsession or a passing infatuation. It is a crime that can escalate into unspeakable violence if left unchecked. The world owes it to victims like Celeste to ensure that no one else has to suffer in silence, ignored by the very people meant to protect them.
Her story will remain a poignant reminder of the urgent need for change in how we deal with stalking and harassment—before it’s too late for another innocent life.
