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Partner of missing Melbourne mother Ju Zhang charged with murder

Ms Zhang has not been seen since leaving her home at Epping in Melbourne's outer north on 1 February.

Missing Melbourne mother Ju Zhang.
Missing Melbourne mother Ju Zhang. Source: Victoria Police

Victoria Police has charged the partner of missing Melbourne mother Ju Zhang with murder.

Late on Wednesday, Ms Zhang's boyfriend Joon Seong Tan, 35, was arrested at Melbourne Airport, while allegedly trying to leave Australia. 

Police on Thursday evening said one count of murder had been laid and the accused would face Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Friday. 

Ms Zhang, 33, has not been seen since leaving her home at Epping in Melbourne's outer north on 1 February.

She was wearing a pink nightgown and possibly pink slippers when she went missing.

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A general view of the Darebin Creek Reserve in Melbourne, Thursday, February 11, 2021. Police have searched the Darebin Creek Reserve as part of their investigation into missing woman Ju ‘Kelly’ Zhang. (AAP Image/Penny Stephens) NO ARCHIVING
A general view of the Darebin Creek Reserve in Melbourne, Thursday, February 11, 2021 Source: AAP

A search on Thursday focussed on an area of the Darebin Creek Reserve near Seddon Reserve in Melbourne's north east, and detectives want to speak to anyone who saw suspicious activity in the area on 1 or 2 February. 

Investigators are also asking residents of Epping, Doncaster and Ivanhoe West to check their CCTV footage and dashcams. 

They are looking for footage of a black 2008 Mazda CX9 station wagon, with registration WKE 850, or a white Toyota Land Cruiser. 

Mr Tan, from Doncaster, was initially arrested on Sunday after allegedly trying to avoid police for several days but was released without charge. 

Ms Zhang’s family lives in China and her former husband, her child's father, is looking after the boy. 


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Source: AAP, SBS




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