Supermodel Gemma Ward’s heartbreak after woman is stabbed to death at her luxury Sydney home
Victim’s son arrested after body is found at Ward's rental property in the city's Northern Beaches area
GEMMA Ward has expressed her heartbreak after a woman was stabbed to death in a home owned by the Australian supermodel.
Lanell Latta was found dead at 10.45am local time this morning at the Sydney beach house she shared with her son - who has been charged with her murder, reports .
The 25-year-old son was arrested nearly two miles from the crime scene and later charged with murder and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Ward told : “My heart goes out to the family and all involved in this tragedy. It’s heartbreaking news.”
The model, 29, and her husband David Letts bought the rundown two-bedroom beach house last year for £950,000 and have rented it out while living with his parents in Newport.
Mr Letts said he knew one of the woman’s sons as they had surfed together.
“She was such a sweet woman, it’s just a tragedy,” Mr Letts said.
Ms Ward and Mr Letts have been living between Newport and Byron Bay and had not seen the tenants in about six months.
A shocked local who knew the family said they “are lovely people”.
Neighbour Georgia Westwood said she heard screaming before seeing a man run down the street as she looked out from her balcony.
Speaking with , she said: “I saw a man running down the road but I didn't really think anything of it.”
Police have now cordoned off the home including the garage where Latta’s son was reportedly living.
Ward was first scouted as a model at the age of 14, and made her Australian Fashion Week debut aged 15.
In 2007, Ward, 29, dated late Australian actor Heath Ledger, when she was aged 20.
The two spent Christmas together in Perth before heading back to New York where Ledger died less than a month later on January 22, 2008.
Ward is now married to David Letts - the pair have two children; daughter Naia, three, and seven-month-old son Jett.
She was named the world’s 10th highest earning model by Forbes in 2007 but quit the industry only to make a triumphant return in 2014.
MOST READ IN NEWS
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368 . We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.'