REVEALED: The final heartbreaking words of catfish victim, 20, who killed herself after her jealous ex-girlfriend secretly posed as an adoring prison lover so their relationship wouldn't end
- Renae Marsden, 20, took her own life after her fake relationship ended in 2013
- Ms Marsden was seen crying after breaking up with her partner 'Brayden Spiteri'
- But her ex-girlfriend Camila Zeidan had pretended to be Brayden for years
- Zeidan created the persona to keep an intimate relationship with Ms Marsden
- The coroner said Zeidan 'did not like coming second best' to anyone else
- Ms Marsden sent goodbye texts to her mother, Zeidan and Brayden before death
- If you or anyone you know need help call Lifeline on 13 11 14
A woman who was catfished by her best friend for two years sent heartbreaking text messages to her loved ones before taking her life after she believed her partner ended their relationship, a coroner has ruled.
From 2011 to 2013, Renae Marsden thought she was in love with a man named Brayden Spiteri - a supposed jailbird behind bars for killing his best friend in a motorcycle accident.
But her best friend and one-time fling, Camila Zeidan, created the identity in a bid to continue her intimate relationship with Ms Marsden, who was 20 at the time.
After the friends had a heated argument, Zeidan - posing as Brayden - broke up with Ms Marsden via text message.
Ms Marsden had planned to marry the fake identity and was so devastated she drove to The Gap in Watsons Bay on August 5, 2013 and ended her life, a coronial inquest determined.
Renae Marsden, 20 (left) died by suicide at The Gap in Sydney's east on August 5, 2013 after her best friend Camila Zeidan (right) 'catfished' her
Ms Zeidan leaves the NSW State Coroner's Court after the Renae Marsden Inquest in February. Coroner Elaine Truscott said on Wednesday that Ms Zeidan was 'unable to tolerate Renae being in an intense relationship' with anyone else
She sent three text messages in the moments before her death - to her mother, Zeidan and Brayden.
Messages between her and Brayden can't be retrieved due to technological limitations.
Ms Marsden's message to Zeidan read: 'I'm sorry... you will always be my bestfriend I hope one day you can forgive me I love you xoxo.'
The message to her mother, Teresa, read: 'I'm sorry for everything and the pain I will now cause you. When you need to talk to me just call my name and I'll be there.
'I need you to be strong for me.'
The inquest heard Ms Marsden had struggled with her mental health in the past, and had in September 2012, overdosed on medication.
Ms Marsden's relationship with Brayden was 'emotionally intense and difficult' and involved coercion and manipulation - even from behind bars.
Zeidan - through Brayden - was able to control Ms Marsden's friendships and relationships throughout the two-year courtship.
These are pictures of the man Renae believed was Brayden. But they depict another person who had no idea of how his photos were being used
A picture of Zeidan (right) and Cameron Lang (left), who she said was her ex-boyfriend named 'Brayden' in a fake story told to Ms Marsden
The inquest heard she was motivated to create the fake persona because she was jealous of Ms Marsden's other connections and wanted to be in an intimate relationship with her.
'Camila was unable to tolerate Renae having an intimate relationship. She would become jealous, possessive and abusive,' Coroner Elaine Truscott concluded.
This is the heartbreaking final text message Renae Marsden sent her mother, Teresa, after she was allegedly deceived for years by 'catfish' Camila Zeidan
'She complained to Renae that she did not like being ''second-best''.'
Throughout the course of their friendship, Ms Marsden told her cousin that Zeidan could be physically abusive, and would 'push, punch and leave bruises' on her.
Ms Marsden sought comfort in Brayden when she and Zeidan argued, thus the latter was able to control and coerce Ms Marsden into responding in a way which was beneficial to her.
Ms Marsden and Brayden engaged in phone sex. The young woman complained when she sent intimate pictures and videos and they weren't reciprocated.
Her attachment to Brayden led her to break off her engagement to another man in early 2013 when her fiance gave her an ultimatum.
On the day of Ms Marsden's death, there is no way to know what transpired between her and Brayden.
Zeidan (left, in green) created the character of Brayden so she could maintain an intimate relationship with Ms Marsden (left and white, and right)
Ms Marsden's brother Jake Marsden , parents Teresa and Mark Marsden and brother Luke Marsden (L-R) were all present in court on Wednesday to hear the concluding statement
'Brayden' contacted Ms Marsden's mother (messages pictured) after he broke off their relationship
While she was still at work, she showed a colleague a message sent from Brayden which read: 'I think I need a break and so do you.'
She began crying and shaking, and left work early. Phone records show she made a 90 second call to Goulburn Jail, where Brayden claimed he was housed.
It is not clear what transpired during that phone call, and police have never recovered the 91 other messages between Ms Marsden and Brayden from that day.
Later in the day, Zeidan, still posing as Brayden, sent a message to Ms Marsden's mother, Teresa, warning that the 20-year-old was threatening to end her life.
'Sort your daughter out... threatening to kill herself,' the message read.
Teresa confronted her daughter about the messages, and was reassured that she was 'doing okay' and was not contemplating ending her life.
Tragic: Renae Marsden is pictured right with her mother Teresa left - who received a heartbreaking final text
The Marsden family and their supporters leave the Lidcombe Coroners Court following Wednesday's findings
After her mother left the house, she then gathered her belongings, including a burner phone she used to speak with Brayden and a Valentine's Day card he wrote her, and drove to The Gap.
Police believe she threw her phone into the water and jumped minutes later. Her body was never recovered.
By August 26, 2013, investigators had concluded Zeidan, who is now 27, and Brayden were one and the same.
They confronted her with their theory, but Zeidan denied it. The next day, she was admitted to hospital. Her family were concerned she would seriously self-harm.
On September 23, Zeidan finally confessed to her part in the rouse. But she said Ms Marsden was always aware that she was Brayden, and that the duo had concocted the fake relationship together.
Zeidan told the inquest Ms Marsden was in on the rouse because their families would not approve of their lesbian relationship.
But Ms Truscott said there was no evidence the women were intimately involved at the time.
This is the collage of Brayden Spiteri which Renae Marsden carried around with her
Teresa Marsden comforts her daughter Monique Marsden following the coroner's findings
The coroner said she does not believe the claims, though Zeidan never strayed from the story for the rest of the coronial inquiry.
The evidence instead demonstrated the catfishing allowed Ms Zeidan to free herself of the jealously she felt whenever Ms Marsden was in a relationship with a man.
In her concluding remarks, Ms Truscott said she believed Ms Marsden died not knowing Brayden's true identity.
'I am of the view that Renae likely did not learn... she had been catfished by her best friend,' she said.
'Catfishing' - the practice of creating fictional online love personas - is not a criminal offence in New South Wales.
The Marsden family has campaigned for law reform to specifically address catfishing.
Ms Truscott said it was unclear whether catfishing like that which Renae experienced would be covered by current laws against using mobile networks to menace, harass or offend.
Tradesman Cameron Lang revealed in February that he is the man in the photo used to catfish Ms Marsden - and he had no idea his face was used in the scandal until he saw it on the news
The photos Ms Marsden saw of 'Brayden' were actually a tradesman named Cameron Lang, who had no idea his face was used in the scandal until he saw it on the news.
'It's daunting... [I'm] shocked in a way because I've now got an image put out there that's an image no one wants to be associated with,' he told A Current Affair in February.
Zeidan told Ms Marsden that Brayden was her ex-boyfriend who was supposedly behind bars over a motorcycle accident in which his best friend had died.
To make her story more convincing, she showed Ms Marsden a photo of her with the man she said was Brayden.
While Mr Lang confirmed it was him in the photo, he has no memory of meeting Ms Zeidan.
'It is me in the photo, but I personally had nothing to do with any of the girls. Either of them. Just my face was used.'
'I don't remember ever meeting [Camila Zeidan] anywhere, at any point.'
He said the photo was likely taken at a bar or club during a night out many years ago.
If you or anyone you know need help call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
