Murder charge after body found in preschool carpark in Upper Ferntree Gully
A MELBOURNE man charged with murder following the discovery of a body near a preschool in Melbourne’s outer east has a brain injury, a court has heard.
Cameron Harris, aged 39, was found dead in a car park in Upper Ferntree Gully on Saturday afternoon.
Police have charged Vermont man Danny Noel Volpe with one count of murder.
The 56-year-old married father stuck his tongue out at people in the courtroom during a brief appearance at the Melbourne Magistrates Court today.
Dressed in a green jumper and blue tracksuit pants, a grey-haired Mr Volpe clutched his stomach and left arm as he was brought into the court.
He fiddled and shuffled in the docks, and was seen staring at a court sketch artist before shaking his head and pointing his finger.
The Homicide Squad will allege Mr Harris was murdered in Montrose, about 14km from where his body was found the same day.
A passer-by called police after making the distressing discovery in Rollins Rd about 3pm Saturday.
The Melbourne Magistrates Court heard the accused murderer had suffered a brain injury in 1998 after a fall and subsequent asphyxiation.
Mr Volpe was on a range of medication and during a check-up by a nurse this morning he had been unable to communicate because of his brain injury, his lawyer told the court.
Police will continue to collect CCTV footage and will await the results of a pathologist’s report.
Mr Volpe was remanded in custody to reappear for a committal mention on 14 February next year.