Murder charges laid after man decapitated, pregnant woman killed

A homeless man has been charged with two counts of murder after a man was allegedly decapitated and a pregnant woman killed in what police believe was a targeted attack at a home in Melbourne’s south-east on Monday night.

Police were called to a house on Adrienne Crescent in Mount Waverley shortly before 10pm, where they found the man and woman – later identified as 39-year-old Athena Georgopoulos and her 50-year-old partner Andrew Gunn – dead inside.

A 34-year-old man with two large dogs was arrested at Westall train station in Clayton South, almost seven kilometres from the scene, at 1.40am on Tuesday. He had blood on his shirt and was shoeless at the time of his arrest, Nine News reported.

The man will appear before the Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

Detectives are not currently looking for anyone else in relation to the deaths.

The male victim was allegedly decapitated before police found his body, Nine News reported.

A visibly upset woman was sitting on the kerb speaking with police outside the house about 12.30pm on Tuesday. A large police presence remained at the scene as forensic officers worked inside the property.

Homicide squad detective Dean Thomas said it appeared that the suspect had arrived at the property before an altercation occurred, resulting in the two deaths.

“The message here is that it appears to be a targeted attack. Our suspect is known to the address,” Thomas said.

Thomas said police did not yet know the connection between the suspect and the occupants. The relationship between the two occupants is also still being investigated.

“But we do believe that the male we have in custody does know the occupant of the address, so we’re still going to link that up,” he said.

Graffiti scrawled on the exterior of the house says: “Enough is Enough” and “U’R GAY”.

A police spokesperson said: “Police are aware of graffiti on the property in Mount Waverley where the bodies of two people were located last night. Homicide squad detectives will work to determine if the graffiti is relevant to the murder investigation.

“We’ll work together with the local police, and our detectives from the homicide squad will piece it all together during the course of the day,” he said.

A resident who lives nearby said the area was usually quiet and safe.

A police spokeswoman on Tuesday afternoon said the 34-year-old man, of no fixed address, remained in custody. He is yet to be charged. “Next of kin for both deceased have been notified of the incident,” the spokeswoman said.

Autopsies on the deceased will be conducted on Wednesday.

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