A Melbourne woman is accused of murdering her elderly neighbour and dumping his body in a river for $2,000 worth of stolen goods.
The suspected motive for the death of 85-year-old widow Lolene Whitehand has been revealed a day after Melbourne Magistrates Court lifted a suppression order preventing the identification of her suspected killer.
Police alleged that Milena Bogojevska, a 49-year-old Melbourne mother, knew Whitehand, who lived on the same street as her in West Footscray, before she murdered her on July 12.
Detectives allege Bogojevska entered her neighbor’s home on Glamis Road “as an intruder… with the intent to rob” before allegedly fleeing with $2,000 in cash, jewelry and other personal items.
It remains unclear whether Ms Whitehead harassed Bogojevska during the alleged home invasion or whether the property was stolen after her alleged death.
Ms Whitehead’s body was found floating in the Maribyrnong River at Flemington on July 14.
Her body was reportedly found with her head and parts of her feet wrapped in plastic and what appeared to be significant bruising on her left arm.
Bogojevska was arrested and charged with Ms Whitehead’s murder two days later, before appearing in court via video link from the women’s-only prison in Dakar.I Phyllis Frost Center.
Milena Bogojevska accused of murdering an elderly widow
A 15-year-old boy was also arrested, but later released without charge.
The court was closed during Bogojevska’s first appearance, as her lawyers successfully attempted to suppress her name and any other identifying information.
But that suppression was lifted on Tuesday afternoon during another closed-door hearing.
After the court reopened, Magistrate Stephen Ballek gave prosecutors 12 weeks to gather information on evidence against the 49-year-old, including CCTV footage and forensic material.
Bogojevska sat half-hunched in a chair as she watched the proceedings from the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre women’s prison.
The magistrate noted that Bogojevska required steroid injections in custody due to ongoing nerve damage in her lower back.
The body of Lolene Whitehand was found dumped in Melbourne’s Maribyrnong River last weekend
The widow’s body was found in the Maribyrnong River at Flemington. Pictured here are police at the scene.
He also needed the medications Lexapro and Valium for the depression and anxiety he had been diagnosed with, Ballek said.
He ordered Bogojevska to appear before the Melbourne Magistrates Court in November for a committal hearing.
She did not apply for bail.
Earlier on Tuesday, Bogojevska pleaded guilty to separate charges of burglary and arson for two incidents that occurred in July and August 2023.
She admitted stealing a woman’s handbag containing items worth $8,000 from a car in West Footscray.
He also set fire to another person’s car, which also caused damage to a nearby cell tower.
Bogojevski was found guilty and sentenced to seven days in jail for the 2023 incidents.
(tags to translate)dailymail
