MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA — A man has faced court accused of murdering a young Sunbury man whose disappearance sparked weeks of searching and emotional pleas from his family.
Brandon Watts, 28, briefly appeared in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Monday charged with the murder of 23-year-old Joshua Bishop. Watts did not apply for bail and is due to reappear in court on September 22.
Court documents allege Bishop was killed sometime between May 27 and 28 — just hours after he was last seen by his housemate at their home on Lalor Crescent in Sunbury, in Melbourne’s northwest, about 9:30pm on May 27.
Bishop’s mother reported him missing on May 29 after he failed to access his phone or bank accounts, which his family described as completely out of character. In the days and weeks following his disappearance, Bishop’s parents made an emotional public appeal for help, pleading for any information about their son’s whereabouts.
After extensive searches, police raided a townhouse on Erinbank Crescent in Westmeadows on Saturday, where they made the grim discovery of human remains. The property is near Broadmeadows Valley Park, the location where Bishop’s phone last pinged.
Although formal identification of the remains is pending, a close friend who organised a fundraiser on behalf of the family confirmed they belonged to Bishop.
Police have said Bishop had no criminal links. Details about his relationship, if any, to the accused have not yet been revealed in court.
Watts remains in custody while investigations continue.
Front Photo Sunbury man Joshua Bishop was last seen by housemates on May 27
