Australian High School Water Polo Coach Lilie James Murdered By Ex-Partner

Australia was rocked last month after word broke that a body had been found inside the bathroom of a private High School in Sydney.

Lilie James, a water polo coach at St. Andrew’s Cathedral School, was found dead with extensive head injuries by police shortly before midnight on October 25.

James, 21, was confirmed to have been murdered by Paul Thijssen, her ex-partner whom she’d reportedly ended a relationship with weeks earlier. They’d only been seeing each other for five weeks, according to the BBC.

CCTV footage captured Thijssen, a 24-year-old hockey coach at the school, entering the bathroom after James. Thijssen, who later made the call to authorities, was then caught leaving the bathroom alone.

Police believed James to have been murdered with a hammer, with Thijssen having been captured purchasing one at a local hardware store earlier in the day.

Thijssen ended his own life hours after the murder, reportedly driving to the cliffs above Diamond Bay in the city of Vaucluse, confessing to police on the phone, and then jumping to his death.

James was in the process of getting her sports business degree at the University of Technology Sydney and was coaching water polo at the high school on the side. Along with water polo, she loved swimming and dancing and did both competitively during her teenage years.

According to the Counting Dead Women project, James was the 41st Australian woman to die this year as a result of gendered violence.

Last Friday, November 17, James was mourned during a funeral in Sydney, located at her former high school, the Danebank Anglican School for Girls, where “hundreds” gathered to honor her life. It was also broadcast into St. Andrew’s Cathedral School where she worked.

Family and friends are gathering at a private service in Sydney’s south this morning, to farewell Lilie James – who was murdered by her ex-boyfriend and colleague, at her workplace, last month. #9News pic.twitter.com/BXkRYdPkj1

— 9News Sydney (@9NewsSyd) November 17, 2023

Described as “vibrant,” the mourners all wore bright clothing at the funeral in James’ memory.

“This day is all about her,” her father, Jamie James, said in a statement. “She was an independent, vibrant young woman who was always on the go and lived each day to the fullest.

“On top of working and studying, Lilie loved coaching and playing water polo. She loved to dance. Even with her busy schedule, she always still made time to support her brother Max, her friends and her family.

“We cannot thank the community enough for their thoughts, prayers, generosity and messages through this difficult time. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for the many great memories we all share with Lilie.

“Lilie James, we are so proud of you and thank you for sharing a wonderful and jam-packed 21-and-a-half years together.”