Rockefeller murder, burial shocks family

[MikeWB]

Rockefeller murder, burial shocks family
By Edwina Scott, AAP
January 30, 2010, 2:03 pm
January 30, 2010, 11:54 pm

The family of Herman Rockefeller say they are deeply shocked after learning the Melbourne multi-millionaire had been killed and buried in a suburban backyard.

Late on Friday, eight days after the businessman vanished, Mario Schembri, 57, of Wallan, and Bernadette Denny, 41, of Hadfield, appeared before a bail justice at the St Kilda Road police complex charged with his murder.

Mr Rockefeller was last seen alive leaving the Melbourne Airport long-term car park on January 21 at 9.37pm (AEDT).

A large-scale search combing a national park in central Victoria on Friday was later called off when police were led to a grisly find in Glenroy, in Melbourne's northwest.

A Victoria Police spokeswoman confirmed the Coroner was testing the human remains dug up from behind a cream weatherboard house in View Street to determine its identity.

Mr Rockefeller's brother Robert said his family was in shock.

"Our family is devastated by Herman's loss and deeply shocked by the circumstances surrounding his death," he told reporters.

The family has appealed for privacy.

On Saturday two cars - a faded Holden Commodore and a maroon-coloured station wagon - were parked in the front yard of the modest Glenroy house, while assorted car and boat parts were crammed into the backyard.

A shovel and large patch of soil were also visible through the locked gate.

A helicopter hovering above the house was the only police activity in the area.

One neighbour close to the house, Marika Williams, 33, said homicide detectives questioned her on Friday about unusual activity in the street.

"They asked whether we had seen fire or smelled fire," she told AAP.

"And we did mention that on Australia Day we had smelled something about four o'clock in the afternoon."

But Ms Williams said she dismissed it as a local barbecue.

"We just disregarded it."

Detective Senior Constable Tim Bell told the out-of-sessions court on Friday Mr Rockefeller was murdered at a home in South Street, Hadfield, in Melbourne's north, either late the night he went missing or early the next day.

Police raided the Hadfield home on Thursday and arrested Schembri and Denny.

Det Snr Const Bell said how Mr Rockefeller came to be at that address was still being investigated.

Both Schembri and Denny admitted to being involved in a fight with Mr Rockefeller, which led to his death, as well as assisting or having knowledge of the disposal of his body, he said.

He said Schembri took police on Friday to a residential address in Glenroy, where police discovered what they believed to be human remains.

The pair are due to face Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Monday.

[mgt23]

smells.......