A shocking and brutal incident has left Melbourne’s Mount Waverley community reeling after a pregnant woman and her partner were allegedly murdered in their home.
Police have charged a homeless man in connection with the killings, which included a gruesome mutilation of the father-to-be.
Gruesome Discovery at Adrienne Crescent
Police were called to the small unit on Adrienne Crescent just before 10pm on Monday night after a neighbour reported hearing yelling.
Heavily armed officers arrived within minutes, and inside, they allegedly found the mutilated body of 50-year-old Andrew Gunn alongside his partner, 39-year-old Athena Georgopoulos.
Disturbingly, Mr. Gunn’s head had been severed and placed on a spike.
Authorities are still formally confirming the identities of the victims.
Suspect Arrested Hours Later
Just hours after the discovery, a 34-year-old homeless man was arrested at Westall Railway Station, roughly six kilometres from the scene, at around 1.40am Tuesday.
He was reportedly in the company of two large dogs. Police allege he was known to the victims, with one of them living in the unit.
He has been charged with two counts of murder and is set to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.
Tragic Loss of a Soon-to-Be Mother
Ms. Georgopoulos was five months pregnant at the time of her death.
Her family described her as overjoyed about becoming a mother, especially as she never expected to have a child at 39.
Her aunt, Patty Dilveridis, recalled speaking to Athena just two nights earlier, saying she was “very happy.”
Athena also cared for her own mother, Petty, who had recently met Mr. Gunn’s parents following the pregnancy news.
Athena worked as a customer service representative for several electricity and insurance companies.
Investigating the Motive and Crime Scene
Police are still investigating the suspect’s connection to the victims and the possible motive behind the attack.
Post-mortems are scheduled for Wednesday. Detectives confirmed a weapon was used, though it was not a firearm.
The street remains cordoned off as forensic teams continue combing the scene for evidence.
Graffiti Raises Questions
Investigators are also examining graffiti found outside the property, which included phrases such as “U R Gay,” “Enough is Enough,” “Betrayal,” and “Karma,” painted in luminous yellow-green and black.
Victoria Police confirmed detectives are determining whether the messages are linked to the killings.
Neighbours and Community Reaction
Neighbours described the area as quiet and said they had never seen any previous trouble or police involvement at the unit.
One resident said he didn’t know the victims and had never heard of any issues in the neighbourhood prior to the incident.
Counselling services are being offered to those living nearby.
Police Response and Apprehension
Detective Inspector Dean Thomas of the Homicide Squad explained that police had received multiple calls before the grim discovery.
A welfare check and reports of yelling prompted officers to respond.
He added that specialist heavily armed units, with support from a police helicopter, tracked the suspect to the railway station, where he was taken into custody.