In the early hours of Thursday morning, as Stanley Obi slept next to his next to his partner in the couple’s New Beith home, his scorned ex-girlfriend was plotting a twisted attack.

Sarah Mudge had crept into the property where Mr Obi and his new girlfriend were beginning a new chapter in their lives.

She carried petrol that would be poured over the 33-year-old and his partner. In another room, three of Mudge’s children slept peacefully — Mr Obi had recently won custody of the children.

As Mudge began “throwing petrol around”, friends say Mr Obi performed an act of bravery by “shielding his family” that likely saved the life of his partner.

Mudge is believed to have set her former lover alight in an act of rage that would end his life. She would also die inside the house as it burned. But Mr Obi’s new girlfriend and the three children managed to escape with their lives.

On a GoFundMe page set up for the “Obi family children”, friend Jonathan offered some insights into what happened in the early hours of March 10.

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“It was supposed to be a day to mark the beginning of a new chapter, having won custody of his children and guardianship of a third,” he wrote.

“It has been reported that his ex-partner Sarah and mother of the three children ‘somehow gained entry and then once in there was able to throw petrol around’ and lit Stanley and his partner alight.

“Somehow and thankfully, his current partner and three children escaped, but unfortunately Stanley himself was very badly burned while shielding his family and was initially in intensive care, but sadly did not survive through the night and passed away.

“The ex-partner Sarah (and mother of the children) who started the fire, died at the scene in the blaze.”

Jonathan wrote that Mr Obi will be remembered as a “very kind compassionate young man”.

Alleged killer supported campaign to ‘end domestic violence’

Police allege Mr Obi was the victim of a suspected domestic violence attack carried out by 31-year-old Sarah Mudge – his ex-partner – who is believed to have broken into the home before setting him alight.

The pair were estranged and had previously applied for domestic violence orders against each other – while police confirmed custody proceedings involving children had been progressing.

Ms Mudge also died in Thursday morning’s fire, but the unstable structure of the ruined home meant authorities initially had trouble recovering it.

An autopsy on her body will be performed shortly.

Mr Obi is said to have suffered severe burns to 90 per cent of his body, with police confirming his death at 10pm last night – 17 hours after he was injured.

Three children aged 5, 3 and 2 managed to escape the blaze, while a 30-year-old woman – understood to be Mr Obi’s new partner – also survived the incident without major physical injury.

The couple had only just moved into the Bidyan Boulevarde home.

Mudge’s social media accounts are full of pictures and videos of her and Mr Obi — as well as the children.

Her Facebook page shows she “likes” the Red Heart Campaign, which has been established to commemorate every domestic or family violence-related death in Australia.

On Friday, the Red Heart Campaign shared a message about Mr Obi’s suspected murder.

“Dear RED HEARTERS. It is with extreme sadness and anger that we ask you to share a (heart) each for another Australian killed in 2022,” page organisers wrote.

“Stanley Obi has been killed in Logan, Qld. The woman responsible died during the fire that ended Stanley’s life.”

Just weeks before, Ms Mudge had posted a chilling message on Facebook under the heading “Relationship Rules”.

“She’s not toxic bro,” she wrote.

“You made her like that. Now you think she is crazy.

“Your decisions reflect her actions. Check yourself.”

Mr Obi’s new partner to be interviewed

Police on Thursday were waiting to speak with Mr Obi’s new partner, while the children were expected to be interviewed by the child protection and investigation unit.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Mr Obi was a registered nurse and had worked as a care manager for retirement home operator Aveo at Newstead for the past two years.

His colleagues on Friday woke to the news he had died and immediately started a fundraiser for his children with an initial $20,000 target.

“It was supposed to be a day to mark the beginning of a new chapter, having won custody of his children and guardianship of a third,” organiser and Aveo employee Jonathan Antonacci said.

“This harrowing experience, the description of events now being fully reported in the media, for this beautiful young family has prompted me to begin this campaign.

“I think you can appreciate the emotional trauma, and that these funds will be used to assist this family with whatever they need to get them re-established.”

Mr Obi had been living at the New Beith home for about six months after purchasing the land in 2019.

While the investigation is in its early stages, police understand that Ms Mudge doused Mr Obi and his partner in a flammable substance before setting them alight in a bedroom.

Police confirmed the incident was being investigated as a potential domestic violence crime.

— with NCA NewsWire

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