A Melbourne woman is accused of murdering her elderly neighbour and dumping her body in a river over a $2,000 haul in stolen goods.
The alleged motive for 85-year-old widow Lolene Whitehand’s death was revealed a day after the Melbourne Magistrates Court lifted a suppression order preventing the identification of her accused killer.
Police alleged Melbourne mother Milena Bogojevska, 49, knew Ms Whitehand, who lived on the same street as her in West Footscray, before murdering her on July 12.
Detectives allege Bogojevska entered her neighbour’s Glamis Road home ‘as a trespasser … with intent to steal’ before allegedly making off with $2,000 worth of cash, jewellery and other personal items.
It is not yet clear if Ms Whitehead disturbed Bogojevska during the alleged home invasion or whether the goods were stolen after her alleged death.
Ms Whitehead’s body was found floating in the Maribyrnong River in 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 Dame Phyllis Frost Centre.
Milena Bogojevska has been charged with the murder of an elderly widow
A 15-year-old boy was also arrested but later released without charge.
The court was closed during Bogojevska’s first court appearance, when her lawyers successfully sought to suppress her name and any other identifying information.
But that suppression was lifted on Tuesday afternoon during another closed-court hearing.
Once the court was reopened, Magistrate Stephen Ballek allowed prosecutors 12 weeks to compile the brief of evidence against the 49-year-old, including CCTV footage and forensic material.
Bogojevska sat half-slumped in a chair as she watched the proceedings from the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre women’s prison.
The magistrate noted Bogojevska needed steroid injections in custody due to ongoing nerve damage to her lower back.
Lolene Whitehand’s body was found dumped in Melbourne’s Maribyrnong River last weekend
The widow’s body was found in the Maribyrnong River at Flemington. Pictured are police at the scene
She also required the medications Lexapro and Valium for her diagnosed depression and anxiety, Mr Ballek noted.
He remanded Bogojevska to appear in Melbourne Magistrates Court in November for a committal mention hearing.
She did not apply for bail.
Earlier on Tuesday, Bogojevska pleaded guilty to separate theft and arson charges from two incidents in July and August 2023.
She admitted stealing a woman’s handbag with items valued at $8000 from a car in West Footscray.
She also set fire to another person’s car, which also caused damage to a nearby phone tower.
Bogojevski was convicted and sentenced to seven days in jail over the 2023 incidents.
