A homeless man has been charged over the death of Courtney Herron, who was brutally murdered in a Melbourne park two days ago.
The 27-year old man of no fixed address was arrested on Sunday and charged overnight with one count of murder.
He will appear in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Monday, Victoria Police said in a statement.
The battered body of 25-year old Ms Herron was found by dog walkers in Royal Park in the inner Melbourne suburb of Parkville on Saturday morning.
Police said she had suffered extreme violence.
"This was a particularly, particularly horrendous attack," Homicide squad Detective Inspector Andrew Stamper said on Sunday.
Ms Herron had been couch surfing and sleeping rough for some time while struggling with drug and mental health issues.
Inspector Stamper said she had been in sporadic contact with her family and there were "a lot of people out there who knew and loved Courtney".
"When there's a child that suffered drug use, mental health issues, family relationships can be fragmented," he said.
"That doesn't mean that families out there don't love their children, and you know, our heart breaks for them.
"We are dealing with a heartbroken family again."
Ms Herron's killing has sent shock waves among the wider Melbourne community with prominent and everyday Victorians outraged over the death of yet another young woman.
Over the weekend friends of Ms Herron and others laid floral tributes at the site where her body was found.
Courtney Herron was found dead in a Melbourne park. Source: AAP
It was just a short distance from Princes Park, where the body of aspiring comedian Eurydice Dixon was found on 12 June last year.
Ms Dixon, 22, was raped and murdered. Aiia Maasarwe, 21, also died after being attacked while walking home near La Trobe University on 15 January.
Both women were attacked by men they did not know and who have since been charged.
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Then in April, Natalina Angok's body was found dumped in Chinatown, allegedly killed by her one-time partner Christopher Allen who has since been charged.
The last confirmed sighting of Ms Herron was on 14 May at St Albans when she came into contact with the police.
"Her mental health and her drug use (made) her particularly vulnerable," Detective Inspector Stamper said.
Courtney Herron's body was found on Saturday in Parkville. Source: AAP
"This was a young woman who had significant challenges in life.
"We as a community should be protecting these people and we didn't. We failed on this occasion."
He said there was no evidence at this stage that the attack had been sexually motivated.
A man arrives to lay a bouquet of flowers at the site where Courtney Herron's body was found in Royal Park, Melbourne. Source: AAP
Men's behaviour
It came as Premier Daniel Andrews said men's attitudes to women need to change.
"This is a terrible tragedy," Mr Andrews told reporters on Sunday.
The Premier, who delivered Australia's first royal commission into family violence last term, said while the state had made significant progress on violence against women, there was more to be done.
"This is not about the way women behave. This is not about where women are at what hour," he said.
Premier Daniel Andrews. Source: AAP
"This is most likely about the behaviour of men."
It's a sentiment echoed by Assistant Commissioner Luke Cornelius, who told reporters earlier that Melbourne was a safe city but attitudes against women needed to change.
"What is it in our community that allows some men to think that it's still OK to attack women or take from women what they want?" he said.
"Violence against women is absolutely about men's behaviour."
Anyone with any information should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
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