Brandon Watts, a 28-year-old man, made a brief appearance in the Melbourne Magistrates Court recently, facing charges for the murder of 23-year-old Joshua Bishop. Watts was arrested after it was alleged that he killed Bishop between May 27 and 28, just hours after the victim was last seen. Bishop was last spotted by his housemate around 9.30pm on May 27 in Sunbury, located in Melbourne’s northwest. He was reported missing by his mother two days later when he failed to access his phone or bank accounts.
Following an emotional public appeal from Bishop’s parents for information regarding his disappearance, extensive searches were conducted. Unfortunately, the search ended in tragedy when police discovered remains following a raid on a home in Westmeadows, a suburb near Sunbury, on a Saturday several weeks later. The remains have yet to be officially identified, but a close friend of Bishop’s, who had set up a fundraiser for the family, indicated that they likely belong to him.
During the court proceedings, it was noted that Bishop had no known criminal history, and the specifics of his relationship with the accused have not been disclosed. Watts did not present a bail application and is scheduled to return to court on September 22.