Man charged with murder of Australian couple in graffiti-covered house
A homeless man in the Australian state of Victoria has been charged with the alleged murder of a pregnant woman and her partner, whose head was decapitated. Police were called to a unit in Melbourne's south-east on Monday evening where they found the bodies of Athena Georgopoulos, 39, and Andrew Gunn, 50.Several hours later, a man, 34, was arrested at a train station about 7km from the scene. He was charged with double murder and is due to appear in court on Wednesday.Police say the attack appears to be targeted but the relationship between the couple and the accused is not yet known. Police are also investigating graffiti outside the unit with the words "betrayal" and "enough is enough".
Victoria police first received a call on Monday evening, requesting a welfare check at the Mount Waverley unit after "some yelling" was heard from the property. Police received a second call a few minutes later, prompting authorities to rush to the address, arriving just before 22:00 where the two bodies were found.According to local media reports, Georgopoulos was five months pregnant with a baby girl. Early investigations suggest the alleged suspect arrived at the unit on Monday evening, and "then obviously an altercation has occurred," police told the media. "It appears to be a targeted attack, our suspect is known to the address," homicide squad detective Dean Thomas said."It does not appear to be a random attack and we are not looking for anybody else."Thomas said the suspect appears to have known Mr Gunn, but police were still working out the connection.A Victoria Police spokesperson confirmed to the BBC that detectives will also investigate if graffiti found outside the unit is relevant to the murder investigation.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
2 minutes ago
- The Independent
New Hampshire man accused of fatally shooting his sister-in-law and nephews pleads guilty
A New Hampshire man accused of killing his sister-in-law and two young nephews when he was 16 pleaded guilty to second-degree murder charges Friday after prosecutors described a playful morning turned tragic. Eric Sweeney, now 19, had been living with his older brother's family in Northfield for three years when prosecutors say he fatally shot Kassandra Sweeney, 25, and her sons, 4-year-old Benjamin and 1-year-old Mason, in August 2022. He was scheduled to go on trial on first-degree murder charges next month but instead pleaded guilty to the lesser charges in Merrimack County Superior Court, speaking only to briefly confirm his understanding of the proceedings. First-degree murder carries an automatic life sentence without parole. Second-degree murder is punishable by up to life in prison. Sweeney, whose lawyers had considered raising an insanity defense, will be sentenced on Oct. 3. According to prosecutors, Sweeney's older brother, Sean, and his wife were serving as the teen's guardians when Sweeney's 'increasing behavioral issues' including lying and violating house rules began causing tensions in the home. The couple called police twice: once when Sweeney took their truck without permission and again less than two weeks before the shootings to say he was making 'strange statements,' Assistant Attorney General Bethany Durand said at Friday's hearing. 'The situation had deteriorated the the extent that Sean installed a lock on the door of the master bedroom in order to keep the defendant out of that room,' Durand said. She described videos Kassandra Sweeney recorded and sent to her husband less than 10 minutes before they were killed: the toddler laughing as one of the family dogs nipped at the tail of his older brother's dinosaur costume, both boys looking out the window at a groundhog and saying 'Hi, Dada' to the camera. 'The family was having a normal morning, with the boys playing and laughing with Kassandra while helping her to create video clips to send to their dad,' Durand said. 'There was no indication of any unknown person, intruder or danger inside of their home.' When he was taken into custody, Sweeney told police he had been in his room in the basement when he heard something break upstairs, a man with a deep voice yelling and multiple 'pops,' according to court documents. He said he went upstairs and found his sister-in-law and nephews on the floor bleeding and then took Kassandra's cellphone and keys and drove away. He then called his brother, who called police. Investigators found Kassandra and Mason in the dining room and Benjamin in the kitchen, Durand said. All three had been shot once in the head, Benjamin through the hood of his dinosaur costume. The prosecutor said Sweeney used his brother's handgun, which was kept in a locked safe under the couple's bed. Family members, some of whom wiped away tears during the hearing, declined to comment afterward, as did lawyers for both sides. According to court documents, Sweeney left the couple a note when he took their truck in June 2022. 'I do not belong in this family All I do is steal and lie and be irresponsible,' it read in part, closing with, 'I love you big bro and sis bye.'
Daily Mail
2 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Libyan migrant, 24, who arrived in Britain by small boat is arrested after three people injured in knife attack
A migrant who arrived in Britain by small boat has been arrested after three people were injured in a knife attack in Eastbourne. Khalifa Eissa Benyzeed, 24, originally from Libya, is being held by police on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm after one man suffered a 'potentially life-threatening' stab wound to his chest - and two more were slashed across the face. Benyzeed and his brother Ahmed, 20, arrived in the UK by small boat in October 2022 and have since both been granted leave to remain. Today, Ahmed claimed his older brother had acted in self-defence as he was attacked by the three men in busy Seaside Road, just back from the seafront. He told the Daily Mail: 'I was not there when it happened but from what people have told me, the three men chased after my brother, and they attacked him in the street. 'There was a fight. And then the police came, and my brother was taken away. I don't know what the fight was about. But this is a dangerous area.' Terrified tourists were forced to flee restaurants and cafes as the vicious fight erupted in bloodshed. Blood stains remain on a door of a property next to where the knife-fight took place. Griseldi Harhicaj, 28, owner of the Kostas Greek Souvlaki house, told how he was forced to close his restaurant when the violence erupted. He said: 'My restaurant was full of people when this fight started outside. There was shouting and screaming and then there was blood everywhere. I had to get the customers out of my restaurant for their safety. 'The police came, and I had to close the restaurant. It was terrible. Eastbourne used to be a nice place, but now it is terrible.' Police officers in an unmarked squad car were today stationed by the scene of the crime. The Benyzeed brothers fled Tripoli after three of their brothers were killed by members of armed militias that now control much of the war-torn country. Ahmed explained: 'Libya is too dangerous. Three of my brothers have been killed by militia. This is why we had to leave.' The pair are understood to have travelled separately to Europe – first to Malta and then to the continent – before meeting up in France where they caught a small boat to Britain. Ahmed continued: 'We came to England in a small boat. We arrived in England on 9th October 2022. 'We have been here for two years and ten months. We applied for asylum, and we have both been granted with 'leave to remain'. 'I want to work hard and make a life here in England. 'Libya is too dangerous. Militia control the streets and kidnap young men and make them join them. If you refuse to join them, they kill you. 'Life was better in Libya when Gaddafi was in power.' Sussex Police today confirmed that a 24-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm. In a statement a spokesman said: 'Police attended a report of a man having been stabbed following a fight in Seaside Road, Eastbourne, on Thursday (14 August) at about 8.20pm. 'A man was found with potential life-threatening injuries and two other men had also sustained minor stab wounds. All three were taken to hospital. 'A 24-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of committing grievous bodily harm and taken to custody. 'Enquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances, and we have an increased police presence in the area. 'Anyone who saw the incident or has an information which could help our investigation is asked to report online or phone 101 quoting Operation Benton.'
Sky News
13 minutes ago
- Sky News
Second suspect appears in court charged with man's murder and robbery in Aberdeen
A second suspect has appeared in court charged with murder and robbery following the death of a young man in Aberdeen. Austin Ironside, 25, was found injured in the city's Skene Street at about 3.10pm on Sunday 3 August. He was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, where he died two days later. Police Scotland arrested and charged Shaun Lerche, 34, in connection with the death. On Friday, he appeared before Aberdeen Sheriff Court where he made no plea to the charge of murder and robbery. The suspect, from Aberdeen, was remanded in custody and is due back in the dock within the next eight days. Co-accused Scott Adams, 46, . He too was remanded in custody ahead of his next appearance. The probe continues and is being led by detectives from Police Scotland's Major Investigation Team.
