The stepmother of a fugitive mafia figure wanted for questioning in his girlfriend’s death has made an emotional plea for him to surrender to police.

Police have been searching for Ricardo “Rick” Barbaro since the discovery of the body of his on-again/off-again partner Ellie Price in her South Melbourne townhouse on Monday.

His stepmother, Anita, who is married to Barbaro’s father, Joe, passed on her condolences to Ms Price’s family, saying she found it hard to believe the “gentle and loving” suspect should “do the right thing”.

“Firstly to Ellie and her family, words cannot describe the heartache we have for you all, especially for her little boy, we can’t possibly imagine how he must now face life and continue living without his Mummy,” she said in a statement to 9News.

“Ricky, we’re extremely worried about you, we’re in complete disbelief as we know you to be the man who is gentle and loving, you’re a great father and brother to all.

“Ricky Son, if you’ve done anything wrong please come forward and do the right thing for the sake of this poor young woman and family, and the incomprehensible pain they must be suffering.

“You need make contact with somebody.”

Anita Barbaro is calling for step-son Ricardo to hand himself in: "Ricky Son, if you've done anything wrong please come forward and do the right thing for the sake of this poor young woman and family, and the incomprehensible pain they must be suffering, you need make contact…" https://t.co/bcHab7YbLf

— Mark Santomartino (@msanto92) May 9, 2020

The nationwide hunt for 33-year-old Barbaro continues, with detectives from the homicide squad, fugitive taskforce and other police units searching for him.

Anyone who sees Barbaro should not approach him but call triple zero or Crime Stoppers.

Police believe Barbaro could be travelling in his white 2009 Toyota HiAce van, registration 1OZ 8PC.

He is described as 185cm tall with a solid build, black hair and olive complexion.

-AAP