Locals reel as man accused of killing expecting couple
William Ton |
A community is in shock after a homeless man allegedly murdered an expecting couple, leaving the woman’s mother grieving the loss of a daughter and unborn grandchild.
Ross Judd, 34, was charged with murdering pregnant Athena Georgopoulos, 39, and her 50-year-old partner inside a home at Mount Waverley, in Melbourne’s southeast, on Monday night.
Nader Youssef, who lives down the street from the pair, was turned away by police that night and only allowed back home the next day.
“My brother said he heard screams and shouting,” Mr Youssef told reporters on Wednesday.
The “alarming” incident hit close to home and was the first conflict on the street where he had lived for more than a decade.
“I was shocked that it happened on my street. I thought it was just old retirees around here,” he said.
While he didn’t know the pair well, Mr Youssef said they occasionally exchanged pleasantries.
“They’re very nice, very quiet people, which shocks me even more,” he said.
Bob, who lived next door to the couple, said they usually kept to themselves and he had only spoken occasionally to the man, who he knew as Andy.
He didn’t hear yelling on the night, but heard Andy’s dog bark continuously.
“That was strange because they’ve never, ever done that … I reckon it woke me up twice,” he told AAP.
“I heard the helicopter and then I must have went back to sleep. When I got up, all I could see was lights and everything was happening.”
A resident of Adrienne Crescent for more than 68 years, Bob said he had never experienced anything like the events.
Judd appeared in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday wearing a black T-shirt, sporting a short black beard and a mohawk-style hair cut.
During the brief hearing, police sought a 10-week extension for the submission of further details as investigations continue.
“It’s a complex crime scene, a significant amount of DNA,” the police prosecutor said.
She pointed to the two autopsies that needed to be done.
“One of the people was pregnant and that has resulted in the delay,” the prosecutor said.
“We are unable to provide a timeframe for when the DNA (examination) would be done.”
Judd’s defence lawyer Annie Allan said it was the 34-year-old’s first time in custody and requested he see a prison nurse to follow up on medication.
The accused stared straight ahead throughout the hearing and responded “yeah, I do” when magistrate Johanna Metcalf outlined his next court appearance details and asked if he understood.
He smiled when Ms Metcalf granted a media application to access his charges but refused other materials.
Victoria Police had received a call from a concerned neighbour at 9.20pm after hearing yelling coming from the property, Homicide Squad detective Dean Thomas said on Tuesday.
A second call was made, which suggested the incident was “more urgent”, before officers arrived at 9.50pm to find the two bodies.
Police later arrested Judd, who was with two large dogs, at Westall Railway Station, about 6km from the home.
Ms Georgopoulos’s mother Petty expressed her sorrow over the death of her daughter, who she said was due to give birth in four months.
“These last days you were so happy, we dreamt together about our granddaughter who you would bring into this life and suddenly all was extinguished in one night,” she said in a tribute on Facebook translated from Greek.
“Even in our separation, I will never stop loving you and look forward to our reunion.”
Judd is due to next face court via video link on January 13, 2026.
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AAP
