Pictured: Suspected junkie, 53, charged with murdering missing Isla Blair after Melbourne teen’s body was found allegedly dumped at a tip – like her

A suspected heroin addict has appeared in court charged with the murder of Melbourne woman Isla Bell, whose body was found in a rubbish dump more than a month after her disappearance.

Marat Ganiev, 53, from St Kilda, appeared in the Melbourne District Court on Wednesday charged with the 19-year-old’s murder.

His heartbroken mother Justine Spokes issued a heartbreaking statement in memory of her daughter as Ganiev stood in court.

“I am so very sorry, my dear daughter,” she said. “I couldn’t protect you from your complex diseases and this cruel world.”

Ganiev, dressed in black and looking thin, looked visibly unwell as the brief hearing took place.

His lawyer, Adrian Lewin, told the court his client was in desperate need of his methadone medication, a drug used by addicts trying to get off heroin.

The court heard Ganiev needed 70mg of the medication, which he had not received in the past two days.

It remains unknown how and why police allege Ganiev killed the teenager, who was reported missing in October.

Two men have been charged after police found suspected human remains during their search for 19-year-old Isla Bell

Marat Ganiev, 53, from St Kilda appeared in the Melbourne District Court on Wednesday charged with Ms Bell’s murder

A man believed to be a friend of Ganiev is expected to appear in court sometime on Wednesday. Eyal Yaffe, 57, of Hampton, is charged with assisting an offender in murder.

Ms Bell was last seen leaving her home in Brunswick, Melbourne, about 6pm on October 4, just days before her 20th birthday.

Her remains were found at a landfill in Dandenong on Tuesday evening and have yet to be formally identified.

Mrs Spokes paid a moving tribute to her ‘kind and adventurous’ daughter on Wednesday.

“I was so proud of your choices this year, of your strength to persevere despite your suffering,” she said.

“All you ever wanted was to create life, to create and cherish it, to love and be loved.

‘We were so looking forward to being reunited as a family; my heart aches and I can’t bear to think that won’t happen.’

She said Isla was “the gentlest soul, the kindest person and free-spirited.”

“I will connect with you in spirit, my care bear, and no one can take that connection away from us,” she added.

Victoria Police are investigating whether Ms Bell’s remains were placed in a household rubbish bin before ending up in the landfill.

Ms Bell was last seen leaving her home in Brunswick, inner-city Melbourne, about 6pm on October 4.

Detectives from the Missing Persons Squad arrested three men after executing search warrants at two properties in Bentleigh East and Mulgrave.

A 63-year-old Mulgrave man was released pending further inquiries.

The Missing Persons Squad formally took over the investigation in late October.

Ms Bell’s family have been informed following the tip-off discovery.

Shortly after her disappearance, Ms Bell’s best friend revealed their last conversation took place on October 7 – three days after she was reportedly last seen.

During that conversation, Mrs. Bell was eager to talk about a recent night out and a new friend.

‘She was just about to tell me all about her evening. She abruptly stopped answering before giving me more details,” the anonymous friend said.

“She really wanted to tell me all about it, then radio silence.”

Another friend said Ms Bell struggled with mental health problems and would sometimes disappear for days, but her recent disappearance was extraordinary.

“The messages to her friend the night she disappeared were really sussed, a really unreliable audience,” they said.

“The police pinged her and such, but without much immediate results.”

Ms Bell’s mother, Justine Spokes, also shared her concerns online.

“My girl is missing and dearly missed,” she wrote on Facebook.

‘She leaves an impression, she is difficult to forget. She has a fighting spirit, sometimes loud and sometimes soft, always persistent.

“We’re here for you, buddy. I love you, my carebear.”

Mrs Spokes later revealed the family had planned to visit the Great Barrier Reef for Mrs Bell’s 20th birthday and became alarmed when they could not reach her.

“Hey rascal. Looking forward to our reef trip for your birthday coming up,” her mother wrote in a public post after she disappeared.

‘We tried calling you to book flights. Let us know your opinion.

“We love you, my love.”