Police rule out theory Aiia was stalked as man charged with her murder
Murdered exchange student Aiia Maasarwe was not stalked on her tram trip home, the Sunday Herald Sun can reveal, but was allegedly the victim of a random attack after she was allegedly spotted by her accused killer after alighting the tram.
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Murdered exchange student Aiia Maasarwe was allegedly the victim of a random attack and died of brutal head injuries.
The Sunday Herald Sun can reveal the 21-year-old was not stalked on her tram trip home but was allegedly spotted for the first time by wannabe rapper-turned-accused killer Codey Herrmann moments after she stepped off a tram at Bundoora.
Ms Maasarwe was allegedly raped and murdered just after midnight on Wednesday.
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It is believed she suffered blunt trauma to her head.
Police have not detailed whether a weapon was used in the “absolutely horrific” attack.
Mr Herrmann, 20, an unemployed itinerant, was yesterday charged with one count each of rape and murder. Homicide Squad detectives had probed the theory that Mr Herrmann followed Ms Maasarwe — an Arab Israeli studying at La Trobe University — as she went home on a Route 86 tram.
She had earlier watched a show at The Comic’s Lounge in North Melbourne.
It is believed the tram she was on was an older B-class model that did not have CCTV.
But investigators have found Ms Maasarwe was not stalked on the near hour-long journey.
Mr Herrmann, wearing a green T-shirt and with hands uncuffed, looked at the floor and only uttered “yes” when asked if he understood the charges he faced at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court.
He had no family in court.
Certain details of the rape were so gruesome police asked that they be removed from court documents.
Leading Sen-Constable Craig Williams told the court: “I don’t think it would be appropriate that be released.
“Some of the specific words in there aren’t known to the family.’’
Mr Herrmann was on police bail at the time of Ms Maasarwe’s death.
He recently faced a string of charges, including car theft, careless driving and criminal damage.
Mr Herrmann — whose mother died when he was young — had been living rough.
Police on Friday combed a derelict Bundoora house suspected of being linked to him.
The house is 2km from where Ms Maasarwe’s body was found.
Children’s shoes, smashed furniture, empty spray paint cans, urine-stained carpet and rubbish litter the graffiti-covered house.
Neighbours said squatters had moved into the house only in the past week.
“This isn’t the kind of area where you would find squatters,’’ one said. “It’s very strange.”
Mr Herrmann was remanded to reappear in court on Monday.
He will undergo a mental health assessment.
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with additional reporting by Brittany Goldsmith