Shock at murder-suicide
The mother of a man believed to have killed and dismembered his girlfriend in Brisbane before taking his own life said she had no indication anything was wrong.
Marcus Volke ran from police when body parts were discovered in his apartment on Commercial Road in the upmarket suburb of Teneriffe on Saturday night after neighbours reported a foul smell.
He fled through a rear glass door and leapt over a balcony, leaving a smear of blood on a fence.
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A short time later, his body was found in an industrial bin, where it is believed he took his own life.
The man’s mother, Dorothy Volke, told the ABC her chef son had not had any indication anything was wrong.
“I’m not sure what he was doing – last we knew he was working on boats,” she said.
She said she did not know what company he was working for.
“I don’t know, he jumped around,” she said.
She said she had not met her son’s girlfriend, who is believed to be Indonesian.
Marcus Volke, who is believed to have killed his girlfriend before taking his own life. Photo: Facebook
Volke was originally from the regional Victorian city of Ballarat, where his funeral will be held.
Police on Monday helped a commercial waste disposal worker remove a bin labelled “toxic” from the apartment block.
Detectives would not confirm reports that a woman’s dismembered body parts were found boiling on a stove.
Investigators are hoping security cameras near the apartment block may help shed light on the events of Saturday night.
‘It made your eyes water, it made you want to be sick’
Neighbours alerted the building’s manager of the stench on the ground floor on Saturday.
Courtney Reichart first noticed the smell on Wednesday when she returned home from work.
She said it got worse each day and still remains.
“On Saturday when I came out for a walk, it made your eyes water, it made you want to be sick,” she said.
“The smell it was like as if somebody had put out some dog food or red meat and left it out for a few days.
“It makes you feel sick that that poor girl sat there for however many days and we’ve been walking past, living our lives and thinking ‘hmmm what’s that smell’, but you don’t put two and two together.
“You don’t think that a bad smell equals a murder.”
The apartment complex only opened about two months ago, during which time Ms Reichart had met the couple a number of times.
She said she had never heard arguments, and the couple owned dogs.
“Just a normal couple,” she said, adding that the girlfriend was “gorgeous”.
“They seemed quite friendly.”
* Anyone seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467.
The apartment building where a woman’s body was discovered. Photo: AAP