The loved ones of Joshua Bishop, a 23-year-old Victorian man, are reeling in shock and heartbreak after police found human remains believed to be his in a home in Westmeadows on Saturday.
The Discovery
A 27-year-old man has been charged with Bishop’s murder and will appear in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Monday.
The remains were found in a home on Erinbank Cres in Westmeadows, which backs onto Broadmeadows Valley Park – the same park where Bishop’s phone was last pinged on the day he went missing.
The Search Effort
Bishop was last seen by his housemate on May 27, and his mother reported him missing two days later.
Police had been searching the area, including Broadmeadows Valley Park, which had been searched at least twice before.
A Glimpse into the Investigation
7NEWS obtained exclusive pictures of the backyard of the home where the remains were found.
The unkempt backyard was littered with rubbish, and the property’s back door was covered in what appeared to be dirt. A phone booth just up the road from the property had Bishop’s missing person poster on it.
A Community in Shock
Westmeadows resident Hanede Rabah said Bishop’s mother had been putting up posters at nearby shops just two weeks ago.
“Knowing her son was literally a 100m away and not knowing that’s, just, it’s killing me,” she said.
A Family’s Heartbreak
Daniel De Vivero, who organized a GoFundMe for Bishop’s family, said they were “devastated” by the news.
“With the heaviest hearts, we share that our beloved Joshua Bishop has been found — but sadly, not in the way we had hoped,” he said. “Rest in peace, Josh. You are deeply loved, and you will never be forgotten.”