Paul Grapsas remembered as “beautiful and caring man”

A Geelong man has been remembered by his pregnant wife, who found his body on the street, as “my love forever and ever”.

The Grapsas family

The man who was found dead near Geelong’s CBD on Friday morning has been identified as Paul Grapsas as homicide police continue to probe his mystery demise.

Mr Grapsas, 40, was found near his Western Beach Rd house with head injuries by his pregnant wife Jessica about 4am.

He had left home earlier to walk the dog, which returned without him. He was the father of two girls, with a third child on the way.

On Sunday evening, Mrs Grapsas posted a photo of the two smiling, with the caption reading “my love forever and ever.”

Jessica Grapsas posted this photo on Sunday evening with the caption "my love forever and ever."

One commenter remembered Paul as a “beautiful and caring man”.

“We are absolutely heartbroken for you right now, praying for strength for you and the girls,” another comment read.

Just two weeks ago Mrs Grapsas had posted a family photo to celebrate Father’s Day.

“Happy Father’s Day Paul Grapsas. We love all you are and all that you are growing to be. It was a lovely day celebrating you in the sunshine!” the caption read.

A family spokesman said in a statement to 9 News: “Paul Grapsas was a loving husband, father, son, brother, uncle and friend.”

“A man of integrity who was happiest when surrounded by his family, friends and church community,” the spokesman said.

“He was a devoted father of two young children expecting a third on the way and had just received a promotion at his workplace.

“Known and respected in the community, a skilled sportsman who loved golf, fishing and video games.

“Paul will be dearly and desperately missed by all those he loved and who loved him.”

When Mr Grapsas’ body was discovered, he had suffered significant head injuries and was not far from his Western Beach Rd home.

Police on Saturday dusted cars in the area for prints as some neighbours suggested he may have been attacked by someone breaking into vehicles.

On Sunday, as police refused to comment in detail on the case, locals spoke of squatters living in the area and past issues with homelessness and anti-social behaviour.

Some suggested an abandoned nursing home next door to the Grapsas’ house was being used by homeless people but that could not be confirmed.

Ramesh Antonypillai – owner of Wood Oven Pizza, which sits across the road from the scene of the grisly find – said the area had been getting safer.

“We have the normal break-ins in the area, but nothing like this,” Mr Antonypillai said.

Police at the scene on Malone St in Geelong near the St Peter and Paul Catholic Church on Friday morning. Picture: Alison Wynd

“There used to be a lot more drug-affected and homeless people in the area, but recent tunnel works have pushed them away.

“It’s so out of the blue, we do deliveries (on Malone St), so it’s scary.”

One man behind the counter at nearby Pizza Land said that they hadn’t seen anything like the death in their 40-plus years working in the area, claiming it's a relatively quiet end of town.

Apart from a tiny shred of police tape in a bush, the scene in Malone St had returned to normal on Sunday morning.

Only one police car was seen in the area and it didn’t stay long.

A small bunch of flowers had been placed under a rock on the street, near where Jessica had found her husband lying dead.

Flowers near where Mr Grapsas was found.

The flowers are mere metres away from where the couple and their two girls lived.

Local residents also told the Geelong Advertiser they’d heard stories of squatters living in the abandoned Maryville Nursing Home on Western Beach Rd, which neighbours the Grapsas’ property.

While they had heard stories, they couldn’t confirm their validity, claiming that the area hadn’t ever “seen anything like this,” in the past.

One neighbour said the area’s problems stemmed from the large apartment building on the corner of Malone and Mercer Streets.

Neighbours have heard stories of squatters in the abandoned Maryville Nursing Home

On Saturday, neighbours who had their cars fingerprinted believed that it was connected to the mystery death, but police would not confirm this when asked by the Geelong Advertiser.

One Western Beach Rd resident told the Geelong Advertiser that they believed police were searching for a person who may be connected with the killing who was trying to break into cars along the strip.

Cars along Western Beach Rd were fingerprinted as part of the investigation into the suspicious death on nearby Malone St. Picture: Mark Wilson

It couldn’t be confirmed whether this was before or after the death around the corner on Malone St.

One neighbour said they hadn’t seen “anything like it” in their 20 years living in the area.

On Saturday morning police were still investigating the circumstances around Mr Grapsas’ death.

Four police vehicles remained on Malone St, with a group of detectives and officers huddled near where the body had been discovered.

An increased police presence could also be felt on Western Beach Rd, where officers could be seen searching through bushes near the Deakin car park, as well as a mounted unit patrolling the area.

There was an increased police presence around the area, including a mounted unit patrolling. Picture: Mark Wilson

Neighbours said the body was found excruciatingly close to the Grapsas’ home, which backs onto Malone St.

The Geelong Advertiser reported on Friday that a man had been found dead near Western Beach Road.

His wife Jessica made the gruesome discovery about 4am Friday morning after she became distressed after their dog had returned home without him.

On Friday Homicide Squad Detective Sergeant Tony Hupfeld said Mr Grapsas lived on Western Beach Rd and left his home about 10pm on Thursday to go for his nightly walk with his dog.

His body was discovered next to his car on Malone St.

Police activity around Malone St on Saturday. Picture: Mark Wilson

Sergeant Hupfeld said police were treating the man’s death as suspicious and calling for witnesses.

“It’s only very early in the investigation,” Sergeant Hupfeld said.

“We are still trying to determine the circumstances of his death.”

The exact circumstances surrounding Paul Grapsas’ death are yet to be determined, however police are treating it as suspicious.

Originally published as Paul Grapsas remembered as “beautiful and caring man”