Louisa's death was ruled a drowning. New evidence suggests a different possibility.

It was Christmas Eve, 2021, when podcaster and private investigator, Julia Robson received an email from Tass Stouraitis, asking her to investigate his sister's death, 13 years earlier.

Louisa Ioannidis was just 24 years old when she was found dead in a shallow creek, just 450 metres from her home. Her death was deemed an accidental drowning, though how or why she was in the creek was never determined. Aside from a two-line report in a local newspaper, the young woman's death was ignored by national media.

Now, new evidence in Louisa's death has sparked calls for the case to be reopened.

Last year, Julia's investigation Troubled Waters prompted a team of pro bono lawyers to review the case. They brought in an independent forensic pathologist to look at the autopsy results and police brief. His results solidified what Julia thought.

"I have not spoken to a single person who believes Louisa drowned of her own accord," she told ABC's Australian Story.

"There is so much to her story and there are so many inconsistencies."

Tass agrees.

"If Louisa was met with foul play, they can get to the bottom of it," Tass told Australian Story.

"I didn't believe that she just fell in the creek and drowned. I just don't buy that story."

Watch a snippet of the new Australian Story episode. Post continues below.

Who is Louisa Ioannidis?

Louisa Ioannidis endured a lot during her short life. When she was 10 years old, her father took their family on a holiday to his home country of Libya. But the trip was a ruse.

Instead of enjoying time as a family, Louisa's father told her mother that the children would not be leaving. Louisa's mother endured years of hardship in Libya as she planned to escape with her two daughters, ultimately depleting her life savings to bring them home to Australia, where they rebuilt their lives from scratch.

By all accounts, Louisa was fun and playful, yet somewhat reserved. "She was glamorous, a lover of animals, and resilient," Julia said. "She was deeply loved by her family and friends."

Louisa Ioannidis. Image: Supplied.

Louisa grew up in the northern suburbs of Melbourne. During high school, she met her partner, known as Joe*.

The on-again-off-again relationship was volatile, and the young couple became known for their dramatic break-ups and reconciliations.

"Louisa's partner was viewed with mixed feelings by the community," Julia told Mamamia.

"While some saw their relationship as typical of young couples, Louisa's friends and family had significant concerns about his behaviour and intentions, particularly after Louisa’s mother died."

Louisa was just 22 when her mother died in 2009. According to Louisa’s friends and family, her mother didn’t approve of their relationship and had encouraged Louisa to leave Joe.

But after her unexpected death, Joe moved into the family home, and that's when things really started to disintegrate.

The way Louisa's family and friends describe it, she was the victim of what we now know as coercive control. They also allege physical abuse, though Joe has reportedly always denied this.

"According to witness accounts, they would regularly see Louisa with bruises on her arms, legs and neck," Julia said.

"One witness also recalled seeing Louisa being slapped in the face by her partner in front of her."

Another witness revealed Louisa described having boiling water poured on her following a fight.

"It’s understood Louisa confided in only a few close friends," Julia said.

"In the months, weeks and days prior to her death, she had allegedly started to open up with more people about how she wanted to leave the relationship.

"Witnesses, including friends and neighbours, regularly reported hearing arguments and seeing signs of physical abuse."

In June 2011, less than four months before she was found dead, police attended Louisa's home following an allegation of assault.

"Joe grabbed me by the shoulder and hair, dragged me out of the car, and told me to shut up and get inside," Louisa said in her police statement.

Joe was charged with assault, but Louisa died before the matter proceeded.

Louisa's family is calling for answers. Image: Supplied.

Louisa's final moments.

On the day she was last seen alive, witnesses heard arguing at Louisa's home. It's believed Louisa packed a bag and made her way to Melbourne International Airport.

"There were no pre-booked tickets for her and it is unclear what she was doing at the airport," Julia said.

"At some point, she got into a taxi at the airport and was seen to be upset and crying. She used the taxi driver's phone to ring her partner and ask to be picked up."

According to Julia, it's been alleged that Joe would only pay the fare if the driver told him where she had been picked up from.

"When Louisa was asked what she was doing at the airport, it’s understood she said she was 'going overseas'.

"It's believed Louisa eventually made it home, where she remained alone for some time. She then went to her neighbour's house and asked to make a phone call. She was reportedly heard calling Joe and asking when he'd be returning home."

Neighbour Cazz says she heard Louisa and Joe fighting that afternoon.

"Louisa is begging him, 'Please Joe, don't hurt me. Stop,'" Cazz told Australian Story. "And I heard the door slam and then that was it."

Louisa asked to borrow another neighbour's phone and was heard saying "Joe, where are you? I'm waiting for you."

Joe's story.

According to Joe's account to police, he returned home that night, spoke to Louisa and then went outside to pat the dog. When he walked back into the house, he noticed the front door was open, and assumed Louisa "must have run outside".

"Her partner then claimed he went outside and saw her running her towards Darebin Creek," Julia said.

"He then went back home and went to sleep."

According to his police statement, Joe said he saw her running in her dressing gown towards Darebin Creek.

"I looked left and right and I saw her all the way to the end of Tyler Street," his statement says, per Australian Story.

"I whistled but she ignored me. She was bolting ... I didn't go out of Seston Street and I didn't chase her."

The following morning, after finding Louisa gone, Joe says he took a walk down to Darebin Creek. Her pink dressing gown was floating in the water, he said.

"He claims he did not approach it further but went home and started notifying friends and family about his sighting of the robe in the creek," Julia said.

"It’s important to note here that Louisa was found in her dressing gown, so if he did sight the dressing gown in the creek, she would have been wearing it."

In creating the podcast, Julia and journalist Clare McGrath decided to test Joe's story.

Julia donned a replica dressing gown and at 9.45pm, the time Joe said he last saw Louisa, Clare stood where Joe said he had been, about 370m away, and looked for Julia.

She says she couldn't make out anything pink. In fact, "I can't even tell if it's human", Clare told Australian Story. It was only when Julia was much closer that she could see the pink robe.

Missing for eight days.

It was Tass who reported Louisa missing, six days after she was last seen alive.

Two days later, Louisa's body was found in Darebin Creek, by passers-by, unknown to her. Despite the body being found just 450 metres from Louisa's home, it would be another eight days before it was identified as Louisa.

Louisa was fully clothed, wearing her pink dressing gown, a pair of blue jeans, a singlet and one sock. Her death was quickly ruled as a non-suspicious drowning.

"At the time, police used visual clues and saw rubbish in the trees, high up on the banks and surmised there must have been elevated water levels at the time she entered," Julia said.

"As her case was suspected to be non-suspicious, it remained with the Criminal Investigation Unit and homicide did not attend the scene."

Louisa's cause of death was listed as 'consistent with drowning', despite there being no witnesses to her entering the creek or struggling in the water. There were no typical signs of drowning postmortem.

Julia Robson is a podcaster and private investigator. Image: Supplied.

New revelations.

Louisa's family is calling for the Coroners Court of Victoria to reopen the case.

According to Australian Story, a review by independent forensic pathologist Professor Johan Duflou, who reviewed the autopsy material, was unable to rule out manual strangulation in Louisa's death.

"The evidence for her having drowned is slight," he said. His report records Louisa's cause of death as "unascertained".

A team of lawyers working pro bono for Tass submitted the report to the Coroners Court of Victoria in July, along with other concerns and new evidence, in hopes of having the coronial finding overturned and an inquest held.

Last year, the Troubled Waters podcast revealed incredible new insights and evidence that contradicts the original ruling.

"We have identified the creek was not experiencing elevated water levels at the time Louisa is believed to have entered, which makes the police theory implausible," Julia said.

Which begs the question, why didn’t she just stand up and walk out of the creek?

"Our investigation revealed that the upstream and downstream creek levels were recording levels at around 40cm, making drowning seem unlikely, unless she was incapacitated for some reason," Julia said.

"Producer Clare McGrath and I have since gone back to the creek when it has recorded the same levels. Clare is the same height as Louisa was (170cm) and she was able to walk around in there with the depths ranging anywhere from her knees to her upper thigh at its deepest point."

The autopsy didn't reveal any of the typical signs of drowning, nor did it show signs of trauma or injury.

In other words, the autopsy did not reveal how Louisa died. This is why the circumstances leading up to her death are so important.

"Experts have expressed scepticism about the likelihood of drowning in water at that depth," Julia said.

"The obvious question is, why didn’t Louisa just stand up and walk out? This raises concerns as to her level of consciousness.

"Our investigation has challenged the finding that Louisa’s cause of death was consistent with drowning and that there were no suspicious circumstances. The podcast has uncovered new evidence indicating the creek was not experiencing elevated water levels as the police theory put forward.

"It’s clear that a fresh investigation needs to be undertaken and all possible causes of death should be thoroughly reviewed."

Julia stressed the podcast is not suggesting Louisa’s partner is responsible for her death.

"Rather, we are advocating for a fresh investigation that thoroughly reviews all possible causes of death," she said.

Australian Story asked a retired NSW detective inspector to review the police brief into Louisa's death.

"My gut feeling is that because she came from a low socio-economic background, that that would have influenced the police," he said.

Victoria Police told the publication the investigation into Louisa's death was "particularly comprehensive" and that an open mind was kept throughout.

Tass says his sister was a fighter, and so is he.

"I haven't stopped, and I don't think I will until I get justice for my sister Louisa," he told Australian Story.

Watch Australian Story: Say My Name - Louisa Ioannidis on ABCTV and ABC iview.

Feature Image: Supplied.