Nicolette was stabbed to death in her Birkirkara home last night. The prime suspect – her former partner – was shot dead by police hours after.

Johnston, an Irishman and former soldier, fled to the Hilton Hotel in St Julian’s with a replica gun. The police were soon informed of a man wielding a firearm and saying he had just murdered someone.

Officials immediately went to the site and found him on the rocks along the coast behind the hotel. Negotiations with the man lasted around three hours, during which he had the gun pointed to his head. Officials attempted to convince him to put down the gun until he pointed it at the police.

Officials shot him, not knowing the gun was fake, and Johnston died not long after reaching Mater Dei.

Nicolette had filed two harassment reports to the police, the first being in April and the second in May after receiving emails from Johnston following their breakup.

After her first report, she was offerred a risk assessment by Aġenzija Appoġġ but denied it because she did not believe to be in danger. In May, after the second report, the police established that Johnston was not in Ireland and described the emails as “harrassing yet non-threatening”.

In July, Nicolette informed the police about slanderous posts being made about her and stated that she believed Johnston was behind them. On Thursday, she informed police that she had reason to believe he was in Malta.

Rest in peace, Nicolette