The sleepy New South Wales town of Aberdeen became the epicentre of a world-renowned real-life horror after one of Australia’s most savage murders was discovered within an unassuming family residence.

Katherine Knight killed her partner John Price whilst he slept, inflicting more than 37 stab wounds before decapitating him and removing much of his skin. His body was then suspended from a meat hook within the property.

Evidence revealed he had woken during the attack and tried to flee, with blood trails discovered throughout the house leading towards the front entrance.

The sight that greeted officers upon arrival at the residence was beyond shocking. Even experienced detectives assigned to the investigation would describe it as unprecedented in their careers.

Knight, a former abattoir worker, had removed her husband’s skin and displayed large portions of it throughout the dwelling. John’s severed head had been placed in a pot of boiling water, whilst other body parts were being roasted in the oven alongside vegetables, reports the Mirror.

Knight had prepared the dining table with two place settings, each labelled with the name of one of Price’s children. Investigators concluded that meals had been arranged prior to police attendance.

Knight had also left a blood-written note atop a photograph of Price which stated: “Time got you back Johathon for rapping [raping] my douter [daughter]. You to Beck [Price’s daughter] for Ross – for Little John [his son]. Now play with little Johns dick John Price.”

The allegations contained in the note were subsequently proven to be completely unfounded.

Police were alerted to the gruesome crime after neighbours spotted blood near the entrance. Officers forced their way into the property and discovered Price’s body inside.

Knight was found unconscious in the vicinity after consuming pills, although not a fatal dose.

A former police officer later revealed that Price’s head remained warm when discovered, indicating the cooking had occurred mere hours beforehand.

Knight had a documented history of violent behaviour and had previously stabbed a partner during a row. Price had even obtained a restraining order against her, though the pair appeared to have reconciled their differences and resumed their relationship.

The murderer alleged she had suffered sexual abuse during childhood, which she claimed contributed to her troubled relationships with men in later life.

Blood Stains, a book chronicling the killer’s life by Peter Lalor, portrays Knight as a school bully who even attempted to strangle her first husband, David Kellett, on their wedding night. Reports also suggest she fractured his skull using a frying pan.

She also killed another partner’s dog and attacked him with scissors. Disturbingly, Knight, who previously worked at an abattoir, was described by neighbour Rick Banyard as “a very proficient meatworker.”

It was their final argument before Price’s death that led the father to suspect he might be in grave danger.

Following a particularly heated dispute, Price allegedly informed his colleagues that if he failed to turn up for work the next day, they should notify the police and come looking for him.

Subsequently, blood stains were noticed on Knight’s front door. On the morning of 1 March 2000, neighbours alerted the police after spotting the chilling signs of violence.

Knight was apprehended at the scene and later admitted guilt to murder. During sentencing, the judge stated Price’s last moments must have been “filled with terror”, characterising the killing as an act of “extreme brutality.”

In 2001, Katherine Knight was handed a life sentence without the possibility of parole, making her the first woman in Australia to receive such a punishment.