Maribyrnong River death: Melbourne widow identified as woman whose body was allegedly wrapped in plastic and dumped in river – as single mother appears in court

A ‘sweet and kind’ elderly lady has been identified as the woman whose body was dumped in the Maribyrnong River.

The body of Lolene Whitehand, 85, was found floating in the river near Smithfield Road in Flemington in central Melbourne on Sunday.

Mrs Whitehand was said to have plastic bags tied around her head and parts of her legs and was said to have suffered severe bruising.

The discovery of the 85-year-old woman’s body came two days after Victoria Police issued a public appeal for help in finding Ms Whitehand, who was last seen at her Glamis Road home on Friday afternoon.

It took three days for homicide detectives to identify the body found in the river.

Detectives searched Ms Whitehand’s home on Wednesday afternoon, with uniformed officers going door to door to interview shocked residents.

Neighbors were shocked by the elderly woman’s reportedly violent death and remembered her as a kind lady with a passion for gardening.

Peter and Christine Spencer laid a bouquet of flowers outside Mrs Whitehand’s ground-floor home on Wednesday, where she is said to have lived alone since her husband died a decade ago.

The body of Lolene Whitehand (pictured) was found floating in the Maribyrnong River at approximately 10.30am on Sunday

Ms Whitehand’s identification comes as her alleged killer, a 49-year-old woman from Footscray West, appeared in Melbourne District Court on Wednesday

“I can’t believe that someone would do something like that to a very old lady who was very nice to everyone around her,” Spencer told the Herald Sun.

“She was very well known in the area. Everyone waved to her and talked to her.”

Mr Spencer’s wife added: ‘When someone dies in this situation there’s not much you can do. Flowers were probably the best way to say, we’re thinking of you.’

Another neighbour told The Age: ‘She was honestly the nicest lady you could meet.’

“I can’t believe it and the circumstances are just terrible.”

Another local resident said that Mrs Whitehand was always up for a chat.

“She’s just a sweet old lady, she’s talked a few times about her shrubs and her gardening,” he said.

Ms Whitehand’s identification comes as her alleged killer, a 49-year-old woman from Footscray West, appears in Melbourne District Court.

Her attorney, Sharon Healey, successfully asked the court on Wednesday to keep her client’s identity secret.

Reporters were removed from the courtroom so the alleged killer’s lawyer could speak privately to the magistrate about protecting his client.

The woman did not speak at the hearing, but there was a clear link when she was returned to prison.

The court heard that she suffers from pain in her lower back, for which she takes panadeine forte and steroid injections.

She also takes medication for depression and anxiety.

Police suspect that the women knew each other.

The case is expected to return to court next Tuesday, where media organizations will challenge the court-imposed gag order.

Police had previously questioned a 15-year-old boy in connection with Mrs Whitehand’s death, but he was released without charge.

Mrs Whitehand’s neighbours were shocked by her reportedly violent death and remembered her love of gardening

Meanwhile, detectives continue to appeal for anyone with CCTV or dashcam footage from the areas around Glasmis Rd in West Footscray or Smithfield Rd in Flemington, near Lynchs’ Bridge between 12pm on July 12 and 10.30am on July 14, to come forward.

“The police would also like to get in touch with people who observed suspicious activities in those areas during that period,” the statement said.

Detectives are also investigating the discovery of the body of a 20-year-old Colombian man, which was found floating in the same river in Footscray 90 minutes earlier.

Police have confirmed that the man’s death is unrelated to Ms Whitehand’s death and that the man is not being treated as a suspect.

Anyone with information regarding these incidents is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.