Man arrested in killing of student in Melbourne

Police in Australia have arrested a suspect while hunting the killer of a 21-year-old exchange student who was attacked in Melbourne while speaking to her sister on a FaceTime phone call.

Aiia Maasarwe, an Israeli student who was at Melbourne’s La Trobe University as part of her studies at Shanghai University, had attended a comedy show and was walking from a tram stop to her accommodation in the suburb of Bundoora at about

12.10am local time on Wednesday morning when she was assaulted.

Police said Maasarwe was talking to her sister when she was attacked. Maasarwe’s sister tried to call back but was unable to make contact. “She heard the sound of the phone falling to the ground and heard some voices and that was it,” said Detective Inspector Andrew Stamper.

“This was an absolutely horrendous, horrific attack inflicted on a completely innocent young woman who was a visitor to our city.”

Maasarwe’s body was found at about 7am on Wednesday behind a hedge near a shopping centre. The site has now been filled with floral tributes and cards from the public.

A 20-year-old man was arrested yesterday over the murder. Victoria Police said in a statement that the man was arrested in nearby Greensborough. “The arrest follows an extensive investigation into Aiia’s death following the discovery of her body near Main Drive and Plenty Road in Bundoora,” the statement said.

Police found a black baseball cap with “1986” written on the front, and a grey and black T-shirt.

The killing has revived memories of two other Melbourne murders that led to an outcry about attacks against women. Last year, Eurydice Dixon, 22, was killed on her way home from performing a stand-up comedy show, and in 2012 Jill Meagher, a 29-year-old Irish woman, was killed while walking home from a pub.

Maasarwe had attended a Melbourne walking tour between about 7-8pm, a few hours before she died.

Event organiser Arun Chandran took a photo of the group, which shows Maasarwe smiling. Chandran said Maasarwe had joined a few of the “Let’s Talk In English” group’s tours in the past.

“She was very friendly, knowledgeable, easy-going, and someone who knew a lot. It was quite refreshing to talk to her. Aiia was studying English at La Trobe University. She was such a positive and friendly person.”