Teens charged with the murder of Ethan Hoac in St Albans

Three teenagers charged over the fatal stabbing of 14-year-old Ethan Hoac will remain behind bars.

Three teens will remain behind bars over the murder of Ethan Hoac amid an intensive homicide squad inquiry into the Braybrook boy’s slaying.

Investigators are analysing up to 400 hours of CCTV collated since Ethan was allegedly mowed down by a car before he was stabbed to death in St Albans on June 26.

An 18 year-old man and two 17-year-old boys, who can’t be identified because of their age, appeared via video link for a filing hearing at a Children’s court on Sunday afternoon.

The trio were charged on Saturday night for the Braybrook College student’s murder after homicide detectives raided three properties in Melbourne’s north and west.

St Albans stabbing victim Ethan Hoac.

No details of the alleged murder were aired in court but a police prosecutor said detectives required more time to comb through up to 400 hours of CCTV.

The court also heard police were awaiting forensics and a pathology report for the victim.

One of the accused teens will reappear at a children’s court again on Monday for an application hearing.

It is believed the teen suspects had been under scrutiny for some time before police decided to make their move last week.

The investigation had examined CCTV from the area and other locations to pin down their movements at the time of the killing.

Detectives will comb through 400 hours of CCTV as part of the investigation. Picture: David Crosling

The Herald Sun understands use of social media was another element analysed.

Ethan’s grandmother Thu told the Herald Sun last month the 14-year-old was “kind” and “funny”, adding he was loved by many.

“He was a really kind boy, really funny, a fun person to be around,” Thu said of her grandson.

The grieving grandmother said she was concerned about a growing trend of knife crime among Melbourne teens.

She referenced schoolboy Pasawm Lyhym, fatally stabbed outside Sunshine railway station in daylight on May 18. “I’m very troubled for young boys,” she said.

Flowers left during a vigil for Ethan Hoac. Picture: Mark Stewart

The St Albans tragedy is the latest in a series of stabbings involving teenage victims.

Veteran western suburbs youth worker Les Twentyman said the level of knife-carrying among the young had never been higher.

“I’ve never seen it as bad in my 40 years as a youth worker. This is a crisis,” Mr Twentyman said.

On June 2, police charged two young people over the stabbing of a 17-year-old boy who suffered life-threatening injuries on a bus at Preston.

Last month, 16-year-old Pasawm Lyhym was fatally wounded in a knife attack near Sunshine railway station.

In April, a boy, 16, was stabbed in Ashburton in a suspected armed robbery.

A girl was stabbed at a party at Westgate Park in the same month.

In March, a 16-year-old boy was stabbed on a bus at Templestowe.

Last December, 18-year-old Hashim Mohamed died after being stabbed at St Kilda foreshore.

A 19-year-old male was stabbed at Watergardens shopping centre in the same month.

In November, a 15-year-old was stabbed in Bacchus Marsh and a teenager was stabbed on a bus at Dandenong.