The body of a half-naked man has been found propped up against a tree near a cemetery in East Keilor.
Police said the man, aged in his early-to-mid 20s, was found by a man visiting the Keilor Cemetery with his family near Thor Court, Keilor East, about 11.30am on Sunday.
Superintendent Glenn Weir from North West Metro said the man was found in a pool of blood while sitting up against a tree about two to three metres from the footpath.
“The male has suffered significant trauma injuries to the head, and there was a large amount of blood on and around the body,” he said.
The man was found shirtless, but was otherwise clothed.
Although the time and exact location of death were yet to be determined, Superintendent Weir said “common sense would tell you that it’s unlikely that the body has been here for a long time”.
A key issue for police was determining whether the man had been assaulted in Thor Court, or if he had been hurt elsewhere and brought to the scene later, the Superintendent said.
He said it was a very “odd” situation, based on the location of the crime scene.
“We have a busy arterial road here, a cemetery on one side and an industrial area on the other.
“Cemeteries are tranquil places for people … it’s quite odd and quite a shocking event for people going about their normal business on Sunday morning to be confronted with.”
Officers will be scouring nearby business, roads and traffic cameras for any clues reated to the death.
An autopsy will be performed as soon as possible.
Anyone with information is asked to phone Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
