Shanae Brooke Edwards: Suspect charged over death of Melbourne teacher

The suspect in the murder of Melbourne teacher Shanae Brooke Edwards has been charged with intentional homicide and denied bail by a Tbilisi court.

The suspect in the murder of Melbourne teacher Shanae Brooke Edwards has been charged with intentional homicide and denied bail by a Tbilisi court.

Rafael Mursakulov, 33, made no statement after he was charged and detained.

The political activist was also charged with armed robbery and faces up to 20 years or life in prison.

Mr Mursakulov was arrested on Wednesday after police examined DNA samples, and CCTV footage near the crime scene, questioning a further 200 people.

The next trial date is set for November 1.

Edwards went missing on July 30 after going hiking in the Mtatsminda Park in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi. Her body was found the following day.

Shanae Brooke Edwards, 31, was trekking Mount Mtatsminda in Tbilisi, Georgia, when she was killed.

Rafael Mursakulovi has been named by local media as the man arrested on suspicion of Shanae Edwards’ murder. Picture: Facebook

Earlier, it emerged that Edwards was allegedly murdered by Mr Mursakulov in a robbery gone wrong, according to Georgian news outlets.

It has emerged that Mursakulovi was a member of the country’s ruling party, Georgian Dream.

According to local news site Georgia Today, Ms Edwards’ was fatally stabbed in a botched robbery attempt.

“The attacker was going to seize Shanae Brooke’s iPhone 12, but he could not achieve the goal, because the girl threw the phone in a ravine,” according to Georgia Today.

It’s alleged Mr Mursakulovi sliced his own hand in the scuffle, leaving behind crucial DNA that led to his arrest.

“The accused accidentally cut his hand with a knife and left traces of his blood at the crime scene, as a result of which, the genetic examination established the detainee’s DNA and his identity,” according to Georgia Today.

His lawyer on Thursday told local media Mr Mursakulovi denies all allegations against him.

Mr Mursakulovi has links to the ruling Georgia Dream party, which is in the midst of an election campaign.

OC Media reported he resigned his party membership on August 23 – 16 days before his arrest.

Photographs have surfaced online showing Mr Mursakulovi with top-ranking members of the party, including MP Irakli Zarkua.

Mr Zarkua quickly distanced the party from Mr Mursakulovi following his arrest, saying Georgian Dream had hundreds of thousands of supporters and could not be responsible for every one of them.

Ms Edwards, 31, disappeared after making a frantic phone call while trekking through Mtatsminda park in Georgia, Tbilisi on July 30. Her body was found “showing traces of violence” on a nearby hill the next day.

Almost six weeks later, the Georgian Interior Ministry announced that a 33-year-old Georgian citizen living in Tbilisi, identified only as R.M, was arrested on suspicion of “premeditated murder” on Wednesday.

Mr Mursakulovi faces a seven to 15-year prison sentence if found guilty of Ms Edwards’ murder, according to the police.

Ms Edwards’ friend Natalia Karikh, who assisted in the murder investigation, told the Herald Sun “15 years is not enough for someone who took a life”.

However she thanked local police for their work on the case.

“We are grateful for police that they caught him. They worked really hard, she said.

Ms Edwards, 31, made a distressing phone call when she was attacked before the line cut out.

On Wednesday, the ministry and local police would not confirm or deny the suspect’s full name.

“As a result of genetic examination report the identity of the offender was unequivocally confirmed,” the ministry said in a statement.

“Based on the evidence obtained through the process of investigation, including witness testimonies, video surveillance camera recordings, genetic examination reports and other evidences – R.M was arrested on September 8 of the current year as the accused person based on the relevant court decision.

“The weapon of crime – a knife was also seized by the law enforcers in a damaged condition.”

Mr Mursakulovi’s aunt told local TV channel Rustavi 2 that five police officers were at her house asking questions just hours before she learned of her nephew’s arrest.

He reportedly lived on the same street as Ms Edwards in the Georgian capital.

A group of locals gathered at Ms Edwards’ memorial site following news of the arrest.

Some came with candles and flowers and others with signs, including one which read: “We are Shanae Brooke”.

The arrest was made within hours of a planned vigil that was due to attract more than 100 people.

There had been great anger in the community about a perceived lack of police action on Ms Edwards murder as well growing reports of women being followed and harassed by men in public.

“She deserved to be safe. We deserve to be safe,” the vigil event stated.

A group of locals gathered at Ms Edwards’ memorial site following news of the arrest.

The ministry said that more than 200 people were questioned over the alleged crime and DNA samples of the suspect had been sent to 194 foreign states and Interpol before a match was allegedly made.

“Based on the information received from them, in order to identify the offender, a composite sketch was created which was sent to all operative units,” the ministry said.

Rafael Mursakulovi reportedly lived on the same street as Shanae Edwards in the Georgian capital. Picture: Facebook

Agenda.ge editor-in-chief Natalia Amaglobeli — who has been working closely on the case for the Georgian news site — previously said residents in the area had reported being visited by police who, according to local media, produced a “portrait” of a potential suspect and asked if they recognised him.

“The neighbours say that the person (pictured) has a slim, athletic body type,” Ms Amaglobeli said in the days after Ms Edwards’ body was found.

“He looked to be in his 30s.”

The ministry did not say whether Ms Edwards was raped before her death.

Shanae Brooke Edwards.

Shanae Brooke Edwards as a child with her family.

On the day she vanished, Ms Edwards called a friend in the US about 4.30pm and was heard screaming “take your hands off me” and “please let me go” while also “making noises like she was fending off (an) attack”, before the call disconnected. Concerned friends reported the incident to local police immediately. Her body was located in the area on July 31.

Several of Ms Edward’s friends declined to comment on the tragedy, saying they were respecting her family’s request that they not speak to the media.

Video footage of the crime scene posted online by Mtavari TV showed emergency personnel, search crews with dogs, and volunteers scouring the hills where Ms Edwards’ slain body was later found.

Shanae Brooke Edwards’ partner Moudy Sayed described her as the love of his life.

Ms Edwards, who previously lived in Melbourne’s inner suburbs, had been working in Georgia as an English teacher for about two years.

The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing consular assistance to Ms Edward’s family.

“The Australian government offers its deepest condolences to the family of an Australian woman whose death is being investigated by authorities in Tbilisi, Georgia,” a spokesman said.