By Rick Goodman
A home owner who allegedly shot dead his housemate with a rifle during an argument over rent suffers from anxiety and an acquired brain injury, his lawyer says.
John Pozzebon, 56, is charged with murdering a 44-year-old tenant at his Sunshine North home by shooting him in the head with a hunting rifle on Saturday morning.
Police at the scene in Sunshine North on Saturday.Credit: Daniel Pockett
It's alleged Mr Pozzebon had been drinking before a heated argument broke out with the victim in the kitchen over unpaid or delayed rent.
Police say Mr Pozzebon retrieved bullets from a shed and a rifle from a safe and returned to the house with the loaded gun, hitting the tenant over the head with it.
The licensed gun owner then pushed the rifle's barrel into the housemate's forehead, demanded rent and told him to "change his life", police allege.
Mr Pozzebon claims the tenant tried to pull the gun forward and and the rifle went off during a struggle between the pair, according to a police summary.
A single bullet was fatally fired into the victim's head and another housemate raised the alarm with police, the summary says.
"Mr Pozzebon has a long history of mental illness," defence lawyer Vanessa Petsinis told the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Monday.
"He has an acquired brain injury and requires anxiety medication.
"He needs to see a psychiatric nurse [in custody]."
Mr Pozzebon did not apply for bail during Monday's brief hearing.
Ms Petsinis noted it was Mr Pozzebon's first time in custody.
CCTV footage will be analysed by detectives, and forensic evidence will also be part of the prosecution case, the magistrate heard.
The tenant's name was removed from documents provided to media at the request of police.
Mr Pozzebon is due to return to court for a mention on July 9.
AAP