Mother says son Marcus Volke did not indicate anything was wrong before alleged murder (Update)

The mother of a man believed to have killed and dismembered his transgender girlfriend in Brisbane before taking his own life said she had no indication anything was wrong.

“I’m not sure what he was doing – last we knew he was working on boats,” she said.

Neighbours had alerted managers of the flat block to a bad smell on the ground floor on Saturday.

Courtney Reichart, who lives in one of the apartments, said it made her feel ill, describing it as “like as if somebody had put out some dog food or red meat and left it out for a few days”.

“It makes you feel sick that that poor girl sat there for however many days and we’ve been walking past, living our lives and thinking ‘hmmm what’s that smell’, but you don’t put two and two together,” she told ABC.

“They seemed quite friendly.”

Police were continuing their investigation on Monday, with officers appealing for members of the public who were near the apartment on Saturday to come forward.

Agencies/Canadajournal