A plasterer who allegedly murdered a Melbourne couple who owed him money suffers from serious psychological issues, a court has heard.
Mustafa Kunduraci, 44, repeatedly stabbed the couple after an argument over a debt for plaster work he had done at their home, an out-of-sessions court hearing on Tuesday heard.
Police found Gregory Tucker, 54, and Korinne Aylward, 35, dead in their Moonee Ponds home on Sunday night with their three children - aged between two and five - unharmed in another room.
Kunduraci, of Meadow Heights, appeared briefly in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Tuesday charged with two counts of murder.
Kunduraci's lawyer Chen Yang told the court his client suffers from a number of "quite serious psychological issues", including post traumatic stress disorder, insomnia, paranoia and claustrophobia.
The court was also told CCTV footage would form part of the evidence.
Homicide squad Detective Senior Sergeant Stuart Bailey earlier told the out-of-sessions hearing Kunduraci rang police about 11.30pm (AEDT) on Sunday and told them he had been stabbed while at the Moonee Ponds home to collect an outstanding debt.
When police arrived Kunduraci was in the driveway of the home and officers found a man and woman dead inside with what appeared to be multiple stab wounds, Det Snr Sgt Bailey said.
A post-mortem examination found the deceased man suffered 18 stab wounds and his partner was stabbed nine times, the hearing was told.
The hearing heard Kunduraci told police he went to the Moonee Ponds home in a last effort to obtain money for plaster work at the Darling Street property where there had been a dispute about the quality of the workmanship.
"He engaged in a discussion with the deceased (male), the female deceased attended and an argument escalated to a physical confrontation," Snr Sgt Bailey told the out-of-sessions hearing.
Police found a knife at the property, which they believe is the murder weapon. They also found a bag containing assorted cable ties, duct tape, a bottle believed to contain petrol and a plastic imitation handgun, the hearing was told.
Kunduraci, who had a bandage on his right hand, received 18 stitches on the same hand when police took him to hospital.
Mr Chen said Kunduraci was also suffering discomfort due to a hernia in his left hip and had been due to undergo an operation on Tuesday.
Kunduraci was refused bail in the out-of-sessions hearing and will next face court on May 6 for a committal mention hearing.
