Homeless man charged with murder after man found dead in Bellfield home
A man who allegedly killed a “warm and generous” young pharmacist in Bellfield has been captured on CCTV at a milk bar. The man, who suffers from schizophrenia, made a dramatic court appearance on Thursday afternoon.
Police & Courts
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An accused killer bought an ice cream and a bottle of soft drink after he allegedly stabbed a young pharmacist to death in Bellfield.
As horror details relating to the murder of Kum Chuan “KC” Leong emerged, distraught family and friends paid tribute to the 29-year-old, who had celebrated graduating from a masters degree at Monash University less than a month ago.
Mr Leong had been working at Eastern Health since 2021 and was described as a “talented leader” who mentored many emerging pharmacists.
“He will be remembered for his passion, kindness and dedication to his team and the broader community,” chief executive David Plunkett said. “KC was just 29 years old and this tragedy will be felt by many.”
On Thursday police charged homeless man Simon Hunter with murdering Mr Leong, who is understood to have been found with multiple stab wounds to his back in his apartment.
A friend went to check on him when he didn’t turn up to work on Wednesday, making the grim discovery about 11.30am.
CCTV cameras captured the accused killer purchasing a Magnum ice cream and 1.25-litre bottle of Mountain Dew at a milk bar just 500m away from the apartment at 11.22am.
He also bought a doughnut and a bottle of Pasito soft drink from the same shop at 7.29am that morning.
He was wearing thick black gloves at that time.
Mr Hunter, 54, appeared shirtless and rambled incoherently during a hearing in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday afternoon.
No details about the alleged murder were aired during the brief administrative hearing, but Mr Hunter’s lawyer said her client experienced schizophrenia.
Mr Hunter repeatedly disrupted proceedings, berating his own lawyer and accusing his alleged victim of crimes that the Herald Sun has chosen not to detail.
“You are against the law. You’re not on my side. You’re on the Nazi side, aren’t you?” he shouted. “You are Roman, you’re Italian.”
The court heard police were relying on CCTV and “words allegedly uttered” by Mr Hunter to officers as part of their case.
Mr Leong’s family arrived in Melbourne from Malaysia on Thursday and had been met by police at the airport.
Last month he posted on Facebook about graduating from a Master of Clinical Pharmacy at Monash University.
“Grateful to celebrate this milestone in my graduation robe and mortarboard, surrounded by family and friends who made it all possible,” he wrote online.
“Here’s to new beginnings.”
He was also pictured enjoying recent trips to Sherbrooke Forest at Mt Dandenong, the Great Ocean Rd and Mt Buller.
Bellfield residents say a man, who is believed to be Mr Hunter, had been loitering and abusing locals at nearby Ford Park. One woman, who claims she was abused by the man during a puppy school session last week, said he shouted “horrific” things at the group.
“He just started abusing me, saying bad words like ‘you shouldn’t be here,” she told the Herald Sun. “Just really horrific stuff, he abused me for like 10-15 minutes.
“He was really enraged.”
Mr Hunter was remanded to reappear in court on January 16.
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