Current Courtney Herron 25yo - Bashed to death in a Melbourne city park

[Kurve]

Courtney Herron's body was found yesterday by dog walkers in a park near the Royal Melbourne Zoo and the Royal Children's Hospital. Only about two kilometres from where Eurydice was murdered.

Detective Inspector Andrew Stamper of the homicide squad said police believed Ms Herron had been attacked in the park either on Friday night or Saturday morning.

"She died as result of an horrendous bashing is the only way to describe it, so we are now very focused on finding the perpetrator of this crime," Inspector Stamper said.

"The level of violence involved here was extreme."

A post-mortem examination had found no evidence that she had been sexually assaulted, Inspector Stamper said.



Inspector Stamper said Ms Herron had experienced issues with drugs and mental illness and had been couch surfing.

He said she may have been sleeping rough but it was not clear whether she had been sleeping in the park.
Police had spoken to a number of people who slept rough in the park as part of their investigation, Inspector Stamper said.

Inspector Stamper said Ms Herron was originally from Melbourne's inner north but in recent times had led a "fairly transient lifestyle" and had had only "sporadic" contact with her family.

"Family relationships can be fragmented but I stress that doesn't mean families out there don't love their children.

"We're dealing with a heartbroken family here."

Inspector Stamper said as the father of a daughter he was "angry" about the "vulnerable" woman's death.

"This was a young woman who obviously had some significant challenges in life, and we as a community should be protecting these people, and we didn't — we failed on this occasion."

"I feel angry — as a proud, born and bred Melbourne person — that these things happen."


https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-05...death-royal-park-parkville-melbourne/11150612

 

[Exe Gesis]

disgusting, disgraceful

 

[Kurve]

disgusting, disgraceful

Almost right in the middle of Melbourne, the most liveable city. Except when you can't get housing.

She'd been couch surfing and had no fixed address.

 

[Exe Gesis]

Almost right in the middle of Melbourne, the most liveable city. Except when you can't get housing.

She'd been couch surfing and had no fixed address.

Is there an article link you can post that details the crime etc in more detail?

 

[Kurve]

Is there an article link you can post that details the crime etc in more detail?

Here, I'll post it in the blurb as well. It was a bit depressing trying to create this.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-05...death-royal-park-parkville-melbourne/11150612

 

[cartwright]

27 year old man has been charged.

 

[rdhopkins2]

Horrible. Yet again we have a woman murdered in public space in Melbourne.
Seems like she had her issues and fell through the cracks in society.

Apparently a homeless person has been arrested and charges with murder. Wonder if they have any priors or whether they too have been let down by the mental health and welfare system.

https://www.theage.com.au/national/...er-courtney-herron-death-20190527-p51reu.html

 

[ABSOLUTE MADMAN]

27 male of no fixed address has been charged with murder.

 

[cartwright]

27 male of no fixed address has been charged with murder.

I thought this may be the case....

 

[Kurve]

Apparently a homeless person has been arrested and charges with murder. Wonder if they have any priors or whether they too have been let down by the mental health and welfare system.

He appeared in court with a black eye and wearing no shoes. It seems there is a history of mental health issues, he's been prescribed an anti-psychotic in the past.

https://au.news.yahoo.com/man-accus...lbourne-park-may-be-delusional-021858941.html

Very sad. I posted this in January.

Just had an interesting conversation with an old friend, he's been working in security in the CBD for over 25 years and now owns/runs one of the biggest. If I want to know what's really going on, I ask him.

It was a war zone in there on Sunday night apparently. Muggings, running down the streets breaking windows etc and threatening families coming home from the tennis. Not Sudanese gangs, homeless people ... he said there are now thousands of them with nothing left to lose and as he knows their faces said there are new ones with severe mental health problems appearing all the time.

 

[bigfarter]

He appeared in court with a black eye and wearing no shoes. It seems there is a history of mental health issues, he's been prescribed an anti-psychotic in the past.

https://au.news.yahoo.com/man-accus...lbourne-park-may-be-delusional-021858941.html

Very sad. I posted this in January.

Just had an interesting conversation with an old friend, he's been working in security in the CBD for over 25 years and now owns/runs one of the biggest. If I want to know what's really going on, I ask him.

It was a war zone in there on Sunday night apparently. Muggings, running down the streets breaking windows etc and threatening families coming home from the tennis. Not Sudanese gangs, homeless people ... he said there are now thousands of them with nothing left to lose and as he knows their faces said there are new ones with severe mental health problems appearing all the time.

Yeah - I mentioned to some friends a while ago that I'm concerned the homeless will soon be demonised as there have been a few horrible incidents like this committed by homeless people recently. Ideally we'd identify this as a society and work to house all people - we live in Australia, ffs, people shouldn't be sleeping rough - but I fear the media and pollies will go the easier route of a scare campaign, much like they did during the Australian Open a few years ago.

Tragic story. Knowing a lot of female friends who walk home alone or get in Ubers/Cabs late at night after a night out, I get terrified whenever a story like this comes out. It really could happen to anyone, including those closest to us.

 

[Kurve]

Tragic story. Knowing a lot of female friends who walk home alone or get in Ubers/Cabs late at night after a night out, I get terrified whenever a story like this comes out. It really could happen to anyone, including those closest to us.

I've been wandering around the area where Courtney was murdered a bit weeks past, travelling in and out. It's so dark there at night, even the street pavements seem very dark and sudden blackness. It's like all the light is being sucked out onto the roads. I don't step off into the park areas at night not because I'm frightened to so much but because I don't think I could even see where I was going.

Could happen to any one of us, very true. Same with homelessness though, so many living week to week looking at homelessness on missing two or three pay cheques.

I honestly don't know how people survive paying rent on Newstart and as soon as they're on the streets it becomes that much harder.

 

[Lethality]

Seems more like a product of a poor mental health and housing system, rather than the toxic masculinity that Dan Andrews pointed the finger at on the weekend. If he's consistent he will now hold himself partially responsible, and then do something about it. I would suggest getting rid of the pokies, which contribute to violence against women, mental health problems as well as homelessness.

 

[Anja_Nees]

Sadly this is another death hijacked by the ‘it’s about mens behaviour’ crowd.

What’s happened here is tragic but of the five most high profile recent random murders of women, all appear to involve mentally ill men and four involve people who were well known to police.

None of them are going to be responsive to men ‘calling out’ their toxic masculinity. They committed these crimes knowing full well society would hate them and they’d be straight off to jail. None cared.

What are the solutions? Well it’s certainly not men reflecting on their behaviour but some might include:
- indefinite detention for repeat serious sex offenders (Bayley and Price)
- counselling for young victims of violent and sexual abuse (Bayley, Herrman and Price)
- detainment of those with mental health issues and a propensity for violence (Price, Herrman, probably this guy)

It’s a complex problem but by spending all of our time and media minutes arguing about men calling out other men, the above basically never get discussed.

 

[sprockets]

Sadly this is another death hijacked by the ‘it’s about mens behaviour’ crowd.

What’s happened here is tragic but of the five most high profile recent random murders of women, all appear to involve mentally ill men and four involve people who were well known to police.

None of them are going to be responsive to men ‘calling out’ their toxic masculinity. They committed these crimes knowing full well society would hate them and they’d be straight off to jail. None cared.

What are the solutions? Well it’s certainly not men reflecting on their behaviour but some might include:
- indefinite detention for repeat serious sex offenders (Bayley and Price)
- counselling for young victims of violent and sexual abuse (Bayley, Herrman and Price)
- detainment of those with mental health issues and a propensity for violence (Price, Herrman, probably this guy)

It’s a complex problem but by spending all of our time and media minutes arguing about men calling out other men, the above basically never get discussed.

I'd also suggest that drug dependencies are a significant factor in at least a few of these attacks.

 

[Anja_Nees]

I'd also suggest that drug dependencies are a significant factor in at least a few of these attacks.

Particularly if you include booze.

Bayley was smashed when he killed Jill Meagher. Todd knocked off a bottle of vodka. Price and Herrman had documented histories of drug use.

 

[Fagan Pride]

Not sure how her close friends and family can point the finger at ‘the system’ without pointing the finger at themselves first. How did her supposed loved ones allow her to get into a position where she had no fixed address, and run into problems with drugs? Maybe the system let her down, that could be up for debate. I think it’s evident though that she was certainly let down by some of her friends and family.

Agree with an earlier poster. Making this about men’s behaviour isn’t going to fix anything. Widespread condemnation isn’t going to make campaigners like the vile scumbag who committed this murder stop and think that maybe this is the wrong thing to do. All making this about men’s behaviour will achieve is activists giving themselves a pat on the back for apparently identifying the problem and giving the apparent solution to it. When in reality, they’ve achieved neither of those tasks.

 

[sprockets]

View attachment 681876

Not sure how her close friends and family can point the finger at ‘the system’ without pointing the finger at themselves first. How did her supposed loved ones allow her to get into a position where she had no fixed address, and run into problems with drugs? Maybe the system let her down, that could be up for debate. I think it’s evident though that she was certainly let down by some of her friends and family.

Agree with an earlier poster. Making this about men’s behaviour isn’t going to fix anything. Widespread condemnation isn’t going to make campaigners like the vile scumbag who committed this murder stop and think that maybe this is the wrong thing to do. All making this about men’s behaviour will achieve is activists giving themselves a pat on the back for apparently identifying the problem and giving the apparent solution to it. When in reality, they’ve achieved neither of those tasks.

I have an addict brother and it's not hard to see how it happens. I've disowned him. Will I be devastated when something bad happens to him? Yes I will and I wish him only good things but until he wakes up to himself, given we tried for years to help him, he's on his own. Think of Ben Cousins - the only person that can help him is Ben Cousins.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Sadly this is another death hijacked by the ‘it’s about mens behaviour’ crowd.

What’s happened here is tragic but of the five most high profile recent random murders of women, all appear to involve mentally ill men and four involve people who were well known to police.

None of them are going to be responsive to men ‘calling out’ their toxic masculinity. They committed these crimes knowing full well society would hate them and they’d be straight off to jail. None cared.

What are the solutions? Well it’s certainly not men reflecting on their behaviour but some might include:
- indefinite detention for repeat serious sex offenders (Bayley and Price)
- counselling for young victims of violent and sexual abuse (Bayley, Herrman and Price)
- detainment of those with mental health issues and a propensity for violence (Price, Herrman, probably this guy)

It’s a complex problem but by spending all of our time and media minutes arguing about men calling out other men, the above basically never get discussed.

Issues of public safety should not be conflated with domestic violence issues. Both are very important but they’re not the same.

At least Dan Andrews didn’t go with “men need to change” this time.

Men need to change on domestic violence.

Public safety? That’s your responsibility, pollies.

 

[checkraiseulite]

the whole situation is very sad.

the unfortunate reality is this type of crime will be very hard to stop.

 

[its free real estate]

The culprit seems like one of those run of the mill skeezy hippie dudes you see around Byron, who are “homeless” only in the sense they choose to be, not actually destitute and desperate like it seems the poor victim was.

Absolutely zero surprise he is from Blue Mountains and went to private school on the Northern Beaches.

 

[Bombermania]

It's clear there was more going on with her than two tablets at school. She wasn't on the streets because of that and it's no excuse.

There is a very good article on the Age website which outlines how Courtney had a troubled time at school before falling in with the wrong crowd then she was caught with two tables resulting in her needing to undertake a program and at some point the police or someone a helping her to gain employment which seemed to have gone well then when that position ended she was encouraged to apply for a different area but her police check came back with the earlier incident recorded so she missed the role, then a series of other things happened leading to her becoming homeless.

 

[_Mike_]

What shits me more is the legal team for the accused murderer are now trying to claim mental illness as the reason, seeking a lenient outcome. The fact that mentally ill people aren't inherently violent isn't a new discovery, yet again and again our media reinforces the perception that violence is often caused by mental illness and therefore people with mental illness have a greater capacity for violence. Research has confirmed that the number of violent acts committed by mentally ill people is disproportionate to how widely covered it is on the news and other media.

It's far too easy to easy to claim, 'they must have been so mentally unwell,' followed up by, 'we need to do more to reform our mental health systems'. But mental health care deserves its own separate and thoughtful conversation, not just to be a stand-in for preventing criminal behaviour. Continuing to emphasise the link between criminality and mental illness is harmful. It might sell news and TV shows, but in reality, it's stigmatising people with mental illnesses.

 

[craigos]

The media coverage of the whole thing has been horrendous from start to finish. Never before have I seen an attempt to make both people involved seem like your "average suburban person".

 

[Kurve]

What shits me more is the legal team for the accused murderer are now trying to claim mental illness as the reason, seeking a lenient outcome. The fact that mentally ill people aren't inherently violent isn't a new discovery, yet again and again our media reinforces the perception that violence is often caused by mental illness and therefore people with mental illness have a greater capacity for violence. Research has confirmed that the number of violent acts committed by mentally ill people is disproportionate to how widely covered it is on the news and other media.

It's far too easy to easy to claim, 'they must have been so mentally unwell,' followed up by, 'we need to do more to reform our mental health systems'. But mental health care deserves its own separate and thoughtful conversation, not just to be a stand-in for preventing criminal behaviour. Continuing to emphasise the link between criminality and mental illness is harmful. It might sell news and TV shows, but in reality, it's stigmatising people with mental illnesses.

That there is still a stigma surrounding mental illness is inappropriate given nearly half of us will have an experience with it over our lifetime and 20% of Australians in any one year. Just as likely or possibly even more likely to be a victim of crime imo.

Black Dog Institute 'Of the 20% of Australians with a mental illness in any one year, 11.5% have one disorder and 8.5% have two or more disorders. Almost half (45%) Australians will experience a mental illness in their lifetime.'