By Shelby Garlick and Erin Pearson
A woman lay dead for three days inside an inner-Melbourne brothel before her body was found during a welfare check, police say.
On Thursday, her alleged killer, Michael James Chalmers, 35, faced Melbourne Magistrates’ Court charged with murder.
Police at the Footscray property where the woman was found dead.Credit: Eddie Jim
Police were called to a brothel known as 149 Rainbow Garden in Cowper Street, Footscray, for a welfare check just after 8pm on Friday.
Court documents released to the media show detectives allege the 62-year-old woman was killed days earlier, in the early hours of Wednesday, November 27.
Chalmers was arrested at his home on Wednesday of this week.
The house where the woman’s body was discovered is in an industrial area. Businesses on the same street are involved in the transport of seafood, produce and flowers.
People working at nearby businesses confirmed to The Age that the building housed a brothel.
On Saturday morning, forensic investigators were seen entering the house with equipment and paper bags before photographing the front of the premises.
The court refused to release the name of the victim, allegedly murdered at her workplace, and suggested the press instead reapply for the name at the next hearing in April.
The prosecution said the woman’s daughter had been notified of her death but not her extended family.
The death is one of seven in a week that are being investigated by the homicide squad.
On Thursday of last week, the bodies of Sandra Dobrila, 41, and a 38-year-old man were found inside a home in James Street, Mordialloc.
On Friday, Hugh Brannan, 30, was stabbed multiple times during an alleged home invasion at his apartment in Iffla Street, South Melbourne, shortly after 7.30pm.
Then, in the early hours of Monday, 29-year-old Rye local Jack Gilmour and a woman named Charlyze “Charli” Hayter were shot and killed after a fight at a home on the Mornington Peninsula.
Later on Monday, John Sheffield, 55, allegedly beat his live-in carer, 62-year-old Kenneth Magee, with a hammer at their home in Everwin Drive, Werribee. Magee died in hospital and Sheffield was charged with his murder, appearing before court on Wednesday.
Anyone who witnessed the incidents, with dashcam/CCTV footage or information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
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