Human remains found in Westmeadows as Victoria police arrest man over Joshua Bishop's disappearance
Police have discovered human remains at a Westmeadows home as part of their investigation into the suspicious disappearance of Joshua Bishop, who vanished from Sunbury a month ago.
The 23-year-old was last seen by his housemate on Lalor Crescent, Sunbury, at about 9.30pm on May 27, and was reported missing by his mother two days later, prompting a large-scale search and public appeals from his family.
Detectives executed a search warrant at a property on Erinbank Crescent in Westmeadows on Saturday, where the remains were found.
The remains are yet to be formally identified, and a crime scene has been established, with the Major Crime Scene Unit processing the location.
A 27-year-old Westmeadows man was arrested at the scene and is expected to be interviewed in relation to the remains. No charges have been laid at this stage, and the investigation is being led by the Missing Persons Squad, with police urging anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers.
Police had earlier tracked Mr Bishop's phone to a park in Broadmeadows on the night he disappeared, but found no trace of him there.
His phone and bank accounts have been inactive since he went missing. His abandoned white Toyota Corolla was discovered by investigators on Ridley Street in Albion on June 4, but friends believe the car may have been stolen, though no formal theft report was filed.
Mr Bishop's parents made a heartbreaking public plea for help, describing his disappearance as completely out of character. 'We want him to know we love him, we're here for him,' his father Travis said. 'We're all just praying that he's safe. We're hurting... we're not coping.'
His mother Kristie added, 'We had a really good relationship. This is not something he would do unless he felt he had to. This is just... definitely out of character.'
Earlier this month, detectives said they were investigating whether Mr Bishop may have been involved in criminal activity prior to his disappearance, but stressed that as more time passed without information, the case appeared increasingly suspicious.
The investigation is ongoing, and police continue to appeal for anyone with information to come forward.
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The heartbroken parents of Melbourne man Joshua Bishop have spoken out after their son's remains were found a month after he was last seen, as a man is charged with the 23-year-old's murder. Mr Bishop was last seen by his housemates on May 27 at their home in Sunbury, and was reported missing two days later. However, the month-long search for Mr Bishop ended in tragedy on Saturday when police confirmed human remains had been found at a property on Erinbank Crescent in Westmeadows. A man, who has been since named as 27-year-old Brandon Watts, has been charged with one count of murder over Mr Bishop's death. The 23-year-old's parents Travis and Kristie Bishop were in tears as they addressed the media on Monday, two days after their son's remains were discovered. Travis described his son as "such a beautiful kid" who had "his whole future ahead of him". "Never had a cruel bone in his body. He's always the boy who wanted to help everybody and he put everyone else before himself," Travis told 9News. "Now that he's been taken away from us, that hole cannot be filled." Travis made an emotional plea for "justice" for their son in the wake of police charging a man with the 23-year-old's murder. "We're in Australia, this is the lucky country and we've had our son taken from us ... it's not fair," the father said. "I'm so angry, I just want justice. I want justice for our son, our baby boy." The couple thanked police and the community for their ongoing support and efforts to help find their son. "All we can do is just honour our son and the beautiful boy that he is," Travis said. A GoFundMe Page had been created to raise donations to the search for Mr Bishop, which included the printing and distributing of flyers and posters. In an updated statement via the fundraiser on Sunday, Mr Bishop's family confirmed the 23-year-old had been found but not in the way they had hoped. "With the heaviest hearts, we share that our beloved Joshua Bishop has been found - but sadly, not in the way we had hoped," the family said. "We are devastated and struggling to find the words. Your incredible support, generosity, and compassion throughout this heartbreaking time have meant more than we can express. "The Bishop family has felt truly surrounded by love through every moment of this journey." The GoFundMe, which had raised $25,575 out of the $35,000 goal at the time of publishing, will continue to go towards supporting the family with any costs during this time. "Rest in peace, Josh. You are deeply loved, and you will never be forgotten," the statement read. A Facebook page titled "Find Joshua Bishop" had also been created to support the search for the 23-year-old. Detectives have previously said that Mr Bishop's phone and bank accounts had not been accessed since he went missing in late May. The 23-year-old's phone last pinged at Broadmeadows Valley Park on Barry Road, an area which had previously been searched twice on June 6 and 16. Mr Watts briefly appeared before Melbourne Magistrates Court on Monday after he was charged by detectives on Sunday night. Court documents allege Mr Bishop was murdered between May 27 and May 28. Mr Watts, who has been remanded in custody and did not apply for bail, is expected to next appear in court on September 22.
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Joshua Bishop was last seen by his housemates at their Lalor Crescent property on May 27. (Supplied: Victoria Police) ( Supplied: Victoria Police )
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A Melbourne family has had their worst fears realised after human remains were found at a home in Westmeadows as part of the investigation into Joshua Bishop's disappearance. In a statement released on Sunday evening, Mr Bishop's grieving relatives confirmed their worst fears had come true. 'With the heaviest hearts, we share that our beloved Joshua has been found – but sadly not in the way we had hoped,' it read. 'We are devastated and struggling to find the words.' Mr Bishop's uncle Simon Bishop shared a photo of the family, saying 'this is the last photo I have of you standing by my side. The last image of our family complete. My nephew, my friend, my blood.' Brandon Watts, 27, from Westmeadows, appeared from the dock of Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Monday morning charged with Mr Bishop's murder. Mr Watts was arrested on Saturday evening, with charge sheets alleging Mr Bishop, 23, was murdered in Westmeadows between May 27 and 28. Mr Watts was remanded in custody to reappear in court on September 22. Mr Bishop was last seen on May 27 by his housemate in Sunbury, leaving his friends and family with no answers for more than a month until the weekend's fatal discovery. His phone and bank accounts had not been accessed since May 27, and his phone last pinged at Broadmeadows Valley Park on Barry Rd. Detectives described his disappearance as 'completely out of character'. No details about the alleged murder were aired during the brief administrative hearing. A Facebook group called 'Find Joshua Bishop' was set up in the wake of the young man's disappearance, garnering 13,000 followers and hundreds of thousands of views. Mr Bishop's family expressed their gratitude at the 'incredible support, generosity, and compassion' throughout this 'heartbreaking time', revealing they've been 'surrounded by love through every moment of this journey'.
