A Victorian man has been charged with murder eight months after police allege that he killed mum Kobie Parfitt and dumped her body in a mineshaft.
The Ballarat mum, 43, went missing in April, with police finding what are believed to be her remains in a mine shaft near Kelly’s Track in the Snake Valley on December 22.
Brendon James Prestage faced Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday charged with the murder of the Ballarat mum of four which police allege happened on April 28 this year.
That was the last day anyone saw Ms Parfitt alive, according to police.
The 31-year-old Wendouree man appeared via videolink wearing a singlet, his dark hair in a ponytail and with a full beard.
Prosecutor Philip Raimondo requested extra time to prepare the brief of evidence because officers had only discovered the body, which has not yet been formally identified, on December 22.
“It’s still an ongoing investigation,” the prosecutor told magistrate Kimberley Swadesir on Wednesday afternoon.
Mr Prestage’s lawyer told the court there were no custody management issues but noted his client was an aboriginal person in custody.
The accused sat with his head bowed during much of the brief hearing and only spoke when asked if he understood what was happening.
“Yes your honour,” Mr Prestage told the magistrate.
He made no application for bail and was remanded in custody until he next appears at court in May.
Missing persons squad detectives and critical incident response team officers swooped on the 31-year-old man in Kinglake about 5.45pm on Tuesday.
He was questioned overnight and was charged with one count of murder.
A 31-year-old Mount Clear woman was previously arrested and questioned by detectives on December 23 before being released without charge.
Ms Parfitt was last seen alive at a property on Hickman Street in Ballarat on April 28.
Detectives stepped up their investigation after receiving new information and searched several properties and spoke to several people in relation to the 43-year-old’s death.
Ms Parfitt’s mum, Kathy Snowball, made an emotional plea for information about her daughter’s disappearance in November and said she was a beautiful person who loved her children.
“It is the unknown, we all need to know where she is and we need to bring her home … put her to rest so we can just remember the beautiful person that she was,” Ms Snowball said.
“She was a loving girl, she loved her kids, the one I knew was a beautiful person who lost her way.”
Police said the investigation remained ongoing.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7r7HWrGWcp51jrrZ7zZqroqeelrlwwsicq6iqmZZ8pL7IppxopZGjeqS0wKuenpxdrLa1tIymrKuclad6sMLEq2SbmZyhrrOt02akrqVdoLyjtcRmp5qqlp7Btb%2BMnZyarJhku6bD0maqraeirnxzfsNsa2qbaG5%2FeoOQb51sbWlmfaeykGlqam5oa4aigQ%3D%3D