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Parkville murder: woman found dead in Melbourne park identified as Courtney Herron Courtney Herron: woman murdered in Melbourne park died from 'horrendous bashing'
(about 2 hours later)
The woman who was found dead in a Melbourne park has been identified as 25-year-old Courtney Herron. Courtney Herron, a 25-year-old woman of no fixed address, has been identified as the victim of “a horrendous bashing” on Friday night that occurred before she was found dead in Royal Park in Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria police say.
Victoria police said Herron, who had no fixed address, was killed in Royal Park on Friday night, before walkers found her body near a log on Saturday morning. The latest victim of violence directed at a young woman alone on Melbourne’s streets at night, Herron’s death has horrified Melbourne.
Her death has again raised anger in Melbourne, with police and the premier calling for men’s attitudes to women to change. “Courtney had experienced issues with drugs and mental health,” Detective Inspector Andrew Stamper, who is leading the investigation into her murder, told reporters on Sunday. “And, as we are all aware, homelessness is often a factor that goes with those two challenges in life. As far as we’re aware, Courtney’s been couch surfing with friends and possibly rough sleeping as well.
“This is a terrible tragedy,” the Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, told reporters on Sunday. “We do have a result from the post-mortem examination that revealed she died as a result of – a horrendous bashing – that’s the only way to describe it.”
Dog walkers found Herron’s body among logs and trees near the North Park tennis club just before 9.30am on Saturday. Stamper said Herron had been initially attacked not far from where her body was found. He said there had been an effort to conceal her body behind a partially burned log.
It was not clear at this stage whether a weapon had been used, he said, adding that it was a particularly horrific attack. The post-mortem had so far indicated Herron had not been sexually assaulted, he said.
Members of the public have started to lay floral tributes at the site where Herron’s body was found, which is a short distance from Princes Park, where Eurydice Dixon’s body was found on 12 June last year. Aiia Maasarwe, 21, was killed on her walk home near La Trobe University on 15 January. Jaymes Todd, 19, has pleaded guilty to the murder and rape of Dixon and will return to court in August, while Codey Herrmann, 20, has been charged with attacking Maasarwe.
In April Natalina Angok’s body was found dumped in Melbourne’s Chinatown, allegedly killed by her one-time partner Christopher Allen, who has been charged.
The Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, said of Herron’s death: “This is a terrible tragedy.
“This is not about the way women behave, this is not about where women are at what hour.
“This is most likely about the behaviour of men.”
Stamper said Victoria police were “very focused on finding the perpetrator of this crime”.
He said it appeared likely Herron had been killed in the park. Her body was was found by dog walkers early on Saturday morning.
Stamper urged anyone that might have been in the area of Royal Park, particularly at Elliott Avenue and its intersection with Flemington Road – one of the major intersections in Melbourne – who saw anything suspicious on Friday night and Saturday morning to contact police.
Police are also speaking to people known to sleep rough in the park. Herron was wearing a black tracksuit, runners and a light brown sleeveless vest, and had long hair, Stamper said.
“We would appeal to anyone in the community, either people who knew Courtney, or didn’t, who may have information to assist us,” he said.
On 14 May, Herron had “contact” with police at St Albans. Police were working to fill in the gaps from that confirmed sighting.
“It’s really important we fill in the gaps of where she’s been, who she was associating with, of recent times,” Stamper said. “These are very key aspects of our investigation.”
Stamper said Herron had been identified overnight by forensic experts and then police had been in touch with her family. He described Herron as being a Melbournian from the inner northern suburbs, whose relationship with her family had been fractured due to her mental health issues.
“Courtney had sporadic contact with her family,” he said. “Again, you know, it’s very much part of the challenge when there’s a child that suffered drug use, mental health issues, family relationships can be fragmented.
Woman found dead in Parkville, Melbourne in 'horrendous crime'
“We are dealing with a heart-broken family.”
For locals the news has also been shocking.
Ned Thompson, who lives locally, left flowers at the Parkville scene to pay his respects.Ned Thompson, who lives locally, left flowers at the Parkville scene to pay his respects.
“It’s just too close to home with Eurydice Dixon,” he told the Herald Sun. “I went to her memorial and I was really moved … This just has to stop.”“It’s just too close to home with Eurydice Dixon,” he told the Herald Sun. “I went to her memorial and I was really moved … This just has to stop.”
Another resident who lives nearby, Peter Chalmers, also spoke to the News Corp paper.Another resident who lives nearby, Peter Chalmers, also spoke to the News Corp paper.
“It is pretty ghastly,” he said. “I walk here every day and often see young girls alone.“It is pretty ghastly,” he said. “I walk here every day and often see young girls alone.
“There should be more lights because it’s dark at night.”“There should be more lights because it’s dark at night.”
A card at the scene reads: “You deserved so much better. May you rest in everlasting peace.”A card at the scene reads: “You deserved so much better. May you rest in everlasting peace.”
North Park tennis club head coach Gabriel Moise told the ABC it was “pretty scary” to learn of the discovery of the woman’s body.North Park tennis club head coach Gabriel Moise told the ABC it was “pretty scary” to learn of the discovery of the woman’s body.
“It’s very bad … it’s pretty confronting,” he said.“It’s very bad … it’s pretty confronting,” he said.
He said more lighting was needed in the area.He said more lighting was needed in the area.
“It is fairly dark in the morning. When I open up here [at the tennis courts] it’s pitch black,” he said. “It is fairly dark in the morning,” he said. “When I open up here [at the tennis courts] it’s pitch black.”
Woman found dead in Parkville, Melbourne in 'horrendous crime'
Detective Inspector Andrew Stamper said on Saturday that officers were trying to work out how Herron was killed.
“This is an horrendous crime, as all murders are, and particularly the murders of women, and we’ve got our best people [investigating],” he said.
The park is one of Melbourne’s busiest by day and used by rough sleepers at night. Police have appealed for anyone who saw anything on Friday night or the early hours of Saturday to come forward.
It is also a short distance from Princes Park, where Eurydice Dixon’s body was found on 12 June last year.
Herron’s death is the latest in a series of women killed and dumped on Melbourne’s streets since Dixon’s rape and murder.
Aiia Maasarwe, 21, was killed when she was attacked on her walk home near La Trobe University on 15 January.
Maasarwe and Dixon were both allegedly attacked by men they did not know.
Jaymes Todd, 19, has pleaded guilty to the murder and rape of Dixon and will return to court in August, while Codey Herrmann, 20, has been charged with attacking Maasarwe.
In April Natalina Angok’s body was found dumped in Chinatown, allegedly killed by her one-time partner Christopher Allen, who has been charged.
The premier, who delivered Australia’s first royal commission into family violence last term, said while the state had made significant progress on violence against women, there was more to be done.
“This is not about the way women behave, this is not about where women are at what hour,” he said. “This is most likely about the behaviour of men.”
Assistant commissioner Luke Cornelius told reporters Melbourne on Saturday that Melbourne was a safe city but attitudes against women needed to change.
“What is it in our community that allows some men to think that it’s still OK to attack women or take from women what they want?” he said. “Violence against women is absolutely about men’s behaviour.”
Cornelius said there would be an increased police presence in the Parkville area, including bicycle patrols and officers on horseback.
MelbourneMelbourne
VictoriaVictoria
Australian police and policingAustralian police and policing
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