Almost four years after Nadine Haag was found dead in her Sydney shower with a cut wrist, the circumstances surrounding her death remain a mystery.
The 33-year-old mother was discovered by police, fully-clothed with her head resting on a small green pillow in the shower of her Castle Hill apartment on December 4, 2009.
In a decision handed down at Glebe Coroner's Court on Friday, Coroner Paul MacMahon found she that she had died the previous afternoon.
But as to the circumstances surrounding her death, he returned an open finding, saying that while there was nothing to suggest Ms Haag would act to end her life, there were serious difficulties in characterising her death as a homicide.
The finding comes after an initial police investigation into her death deemed it suicide.
Ms Haag's family, however, has always alleged there was a compelling circumstantial case that her former partner Nastore Guizzon was responsible.
They pointed to a crumpled note found in the bathroom that stated: "he did it".
Ms Haag, they argued, was planning visits to see them, was attending regular gym classes, had a new romantic interest and had - that morning - filled her car with petrol.
Coroner MacMahon acknowledged the many unusual aspects of her death.
"There was no blood found on the floor of the shower, the tiled walls ... or on any of the various items found within the shower itself."
He said Mr Guizzon's activities on December 3 and 4 also raised "considerable suspicion".
"The overwhelming evidence was that in his relationship with Nadine he was a bully who behaved in a controlling and abusive manner towards her."
But he said the circumstances in which Ms Haag was found were also suggestive of intentional self-harm.
There was no evidence a third party had restrained or drugged her, he found.
He described Ms Haag as a "young, vigorous and single-minded woman" who had worked through many difficulties in her life.
* Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
