A Sydney community reeling from the loss of a “much loved” school water polo coach who was murdered days ago has held a candlelight vigil to mourn her. Lilie James, 21, was found dead with serious head injuries at St Andrew’s Cathedral School, in Sydney’s CBD, where she worked, on Wednesday night. Grieving members of the Kogarah Bay community, where James lived, comforted each other and shared their memories of the young coach in a candle lit vigil in nearby Sans Souci on Saturday.
The discovery James’ body at the school sparked a manhunt for Thijssen, who was captured on CCTV in the hours after the murder in what’s believed to be his final moments. In the footage, Thijssen is seen walking up and down a path, and getting back into his car before it is understood he called triple-0 at about 11pm on Wednesday to notify police about James’ body at the school. A friend of the James family who launched a GoFundMe said they “will be grieving this loss forever”.