By CASEY NEILL
POLICE have charged a Hallam woman and a Narre Warren man following a Noble Park man’s death last week.
Police found Alan Matthews, 69, dead in the bathroom of his Henry Street home shortly before 4am last Thursday 30 January.
Homicide Squad detectives on Thursday night charged Hallam woman Kristy Robb, 26, with one count of intentionally causing serious injury in relation to the incident.
She was denied bail during a hearing at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court the following day, and the case was adjourned until 6 June.
Investigators last Friday afternoon arrested a Narre Warren man, 40, and on Saturday charged him with intentionally causing serious injury.
He was released on bail to face Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 5 February.
The court on Friday heard police allege that Ms Robb was a former tenant of Mr Matthews, and that she and her boyfriend attacked him with a baseball bat and steel bar over a rent dispute.
Detective Sergeant David Butler said a man in distress called triple zero about 3am on 30 January and told the call-taker he’d been assaulted.
“Police have subsequently attended and located him deceased inside the house,” he said on Thursday morning.
“He does have some blunt-trauma injuries. I’m not going to go any further than that.
“A post-mortem examination will need to be conducted to determine the cause of death.”
Romsey Street resident Colin said he’d brought furniture from Mr Matthews and described him as “no-nonsense, easy-going and quite a character”.
Cansu Caglayancay lives on Henry Street and was in shock when she heard the news.
“I’ve seen him regularly,” she said.
“It’s so sad. I don’t know what the world’s coming to.
“I just feel for the family.
“I thought this street was really safe.”
