By Laura Michell
A T-shirt and cap found at the scene of the killing of a woman in Bundoora are likely to have been left there by the person responsible for her death, police say.
The woman’s body was found by passers-by outside a shopping centre on Main Drive, near Plenty Road about 7am on Wednesday.
She has been identified as 21-year-old Israeli student Aiia Maasarwe.
Police said it appeared Ms Maasarwe had been seriously assaulted, however the exact circumstances of her death are yet to be determined.
Police believe Ms Maasarwe was at a club in North Melbourne on Tuesday night and caught the route 86 tram from a Bourke Street stop.
They said it is likely she got off the tram at Bundoora near where her body was found.
The T-shirt and cap were found within 100 metres of Ms Maasarwe’s body and will be forensically tested.
The T-shirt has dark-coloured shoulders and sleeves and a light grey body, while the cap is black and has ‘1986’ printed on the front.
Police have also released CCTV images of Ms Maasarwe, showing the clothing she was wearing on Tuesday night, in the hope that someone saw her and can help police track her exact movements.
Detective Inspector Andrew Stamper said information from the public is likely to prove crucial in this investigation.
“I am very satisfied they are items of clothing worn by the offender when he committed this horrific act,” he said of theT-shirt and cap.
“There will be someone out there who has seen a person wearing this clothing, and we really need them to come forward and provide us with that information.
“If you have information about the identity of this person then I urge you to tell us.”
Police are also keen to speak to anyone who has located any unusual or out of place items near the crime scene over the past 48 hours, as well as anyone who was in the vicinity of Main Drive and Plenty Road between 11pm Tuesday and 1am Wednesday, or who was on the 86 tram.
“We have a grieving family who has had to fly half way across the world under the most horrific circumstances and we want to be able to give them some answers,” Detective Inspector Stamper said.
“This was an absolutely horrendous, horrific attack inflicted on a young woman who was a visitor to our city.
“We will not stop until we find the person who committed this horrendous act.”
North west metro region acting Superintendent Tony Ryan said he understood the community was shocked and concerned following Ms Maasarwe’s death.
He said police patrols of the area would increase until the offender was caught.
“I can assure the community that police will have an increased presence in the area over the coming days and we’ll also be liaising with local residents and organisations,” he said.
“We all have a right to be and feel safe.”
