Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading

Murder charge after woman's body discovered at tip

The woman found at the waste facility is believed to have been a 67-year-old who lived nearby. (James Ross/AAP PHOTOS)

A man has been charged with murder several days after a woman's body was found at a Melbourne tip.

The 45-year-old, who police say was known to the victim, was arrested and questioned by detectives throughout the day before being charged on Tuesday night.

Workers found the woman's corpse while moving green waste at a facility in Epping on July 3 but investigators believe her body was originally dumped inside a domestic bin picked up outside a home in a nearby suburb the previous day.

They identified the address as Hilgay Street in Coolaroo, which has rubbish collected each Tuesday.

A crime scene at a residential property in Coolaroo, Melbourne
Police believe the woman's body was dumped in a domestic bin a day before it was discovered. (James Ross/AAP PHOTOS)

Forensic and uniformed offers were seen at a house on Hilgay Street surrounded by police tape on Saturday, when the discovery was made public.

The woman, who is yet to be formally identified, is believed to be a 67-year-old from Coolaroo.

The accused man was named as Stephen Fleming on Wednesday at Melbourne Magistrates Court, where he appeared for a filing hearing. 

He did not apply for bail and was remanded in custody for a committal mention on January 8.

A forensic investigator near the home that's now a crime scene
Police want to speak to anyone who noticed any suspicious behaviour around the home. (James Ross/AAP PHOTOS)

Prosecutors asked for extra time in his case to gather forensic evidence and recreate multiple crime scenes.

Detectives want to speak to anyone who noticed any suspicious behaviour in Coolaroo between June 23 and  July 2.

The discovery of the body is the third time a woman's remains have been found in a bin or tip in Victoria in recent years.

In March, the remains of 35-year-old Point Cook resident Chaithanya "Swetha" Madhagani were discovered in a wheelie bin at Buckley, southwest of Geelong.

Three years ago, the remains of mother Ju 'Kelly' Zhang were found at a landfill in Wollert.

1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)

Lifeline 13 11 14

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.