Body found in Melbourne could be Filipino - report
Home > Pinoy Abroad > Top Stories Body found in Melbourne could be Filipino - report
12/19/2007 | 02:42 PM
Email this | Email the Editor | Print | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us A woman believed to be a 50-year-old Filipino mother of five was found murdered and dumped in a Victorian front garden in Australia last Dec. 12.
Online Australian newspaper The Australian reported Wednesday that the victim was badly beaten but the cause of death has yet to be established.
It said investigators believe the victim is Luvina Dayang, 50, who has not been seen or heard from since Dec. 10.
The Philippine consul and the Australian Federal Police have joined the investigation, even as Detective Senior Sergeant Jeff Maher said police were making progress.
"Homicide detectives have spoken to a number of persons of interest. There is a strong lead in the investigation, but we would rather not make any further comment on that," he said.
Police are also scanning footages taken by operators of a Google Earth satellite van, which was mapping the area at the time.
They are also searching for Dayang's friend, Filipina Violi Tolantino, who they believe can help them. "We are really, really keen to speak to her," Maher said.
Authorities said the body was found wrapped in two rubbish bags and dumped in a front yard in Springvale.
The victim was described as middle-aged, of Asian appearance, with shoulder-length hair and about 160cm, which fitted a friend's description of Dayang.
Also, the victim sported a red T-shirt bearing three blue stars and a pair of fashionable jeans, which the friend said also matched clothing Dayang owned.
Investigators believe the body was dumped late on Monday last week or early Tuesday, hours before owners of the property discovered it.
Dayang was living in Sydney on an expired visitor's visa, and had told friends she was travelling to Melbourne to meet a friend. She has not made contact since, the report said.
The last contact was a text message sent to her daughter and a friend last Dec. 10, telling them she was meeting someone to get money or find work.
A close friend said she left Sydney and went to Melbourne on Sunday, Dec. 9, on a bus, and arrived in Melbourne on Monday.
"She sent a text message on Monday saying she didn't have any money and was going to meet someone to get money or to try to find a job.
She sent the text message to me and to her daughter in the Philippines, but no one has heard from her since. When we heard the report of the dead Asian woman in Springvale, we became very worried," the friend said.
Dayang has five adult children - three sons and two daughters - in the Philippines. She reportedly does not have family in Australia. - GMANews.TV
12/19/2007 | 02:42 PM
Email this | Email the Editor | Print | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us A woman believed to be a 50-year-old Filipino mother of five was found murdered and dumped in a Victorian front garden in Australia last Dec. 12.
Online Australian newspaper The Australian reported Wednesday that the victim was badly beaten but the cause of death has yet to be established.
It said investigators believe the victim is Luvina Dayang, 50, who has not been seen or heard from since Dec. 10.
The Philippine consul and the Australian Federal Police have joined the investigation, even as Detective Senior Sergeant Jeff Maher said police were making progress.
"Homicide detectives have spoken to a number of persons of interest. There is a strong lead in the investigation, but we would rather not make any further comment on that," he said.
Police are also scanning footages taken by operators of a Google Earth satellite van, which was mapping the area at the time.
They are also searching for Dayang's friend, Filipina Violi Tolantino, who they believe can help them. "We are really, really keen to speak to her," Maher said.
Authorities said the body was found wrapped in two rubbish bags and dumped in a front yard in Springvale.
The victim was described as middle-aged, of Asian appearance, with shoulder-length hair and about 160cm, which fitted a friend's description of Dayang.
Also, the victim sported a red T-shirt bearing three blue stars and a pair of fashionable jeans, which the friend said also matched clothing Dayang owned.
Investigators believe the body was dumped late on Monday last week or early Tuesday, hours before owners of the property discovered it.
Dayang was living in Sydney on an expired visitor's visa, and had told friends she was travelling to Melbourne to meet a friend. She has not made contact since, the report said.
The last contact was a text message sent to her daughter and a friend last Dec. 10, telling them she was meeting someone to get money or find work.
A close friend said she left Sydney and went to Melbourne on Sunday, Dec. 9, on a bus, and arrived in Melbourne on Monday.
"She sent a text message on Monday saying she didn't have any money and was going to meet someone to get money or to try to find a job.
She sent the text message to me and to her daughter in the Philippines, but no one has heard from her since. When we heard the report of the dead Asian woman in Springvale, we became very worried," the friend said.
Dayang has five adult children - three sons and two daughters - in the Philippines. She reportedly does not have family in Australia. - GMANews.TV
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