The family of murdered Herman Rockefeller say they're deeply shocked after learning the Melbourne multi-millionaire has been killed and buried in a suburban backyard.
57 year-old Mario Schembri and 41 year-old Bernadette Denny were last night charged with his murder, eight days after Mr Rockefeller was last seen leaving Melbourne Airport.
Mr Rockefeller's brother Robert says his family is devastated by the loss and deeply shockedby the circumstances surrounding his death.
American born, Harvard educated Herman Rockefeller had spent time with numerous companies, notably the Visy packaging group, but was most succesfull in property investment.
Neighbour dismissed 'burning smell'
A neighbour close to the site where police uncovered what are believed to be the remains of Rockefeller says she dismissed a burning smell on Australia Day as someone having a barbecue.
Marika Williams, 33, of Glenroy in Melbourne's northwest, told AAP police had questioned her on Friday about movements in View Street over the past week.
"They asked whether we had seen fire or smelled fire," she said.
"And we did mention that on Australia Day we had smelled something about four o'clock in the afternoon."
But Ms Williams said she dismissed it as a local barbecue.
"We just disregarded it."
Late on Friday, eight days after the Melbourne businessman vanished, Mario Schembri, 57, of Wallan, and Bernadette Denny, 41, of Hadfield, appeared before a bail justice at the St Kilda Road police complex charged with his murder.
Mr Rockefeller was last seen alive leaving the Melbourne Airport long-term car park on January 21 at 9.37pm (AEDT).
Detective Senior Constable Tim Bell told the court he was murdered at a home in South Street, Hadfield, in Melbourne's north, either late the night he went missing or early the next day.
Police raided the Hadfield home on Thursday and arrested Schembri and Denny.
Det Snr Const Bell said how Mr Rockefeller came to be at that address was still being investigated.
He said Schembri took police on Friday to a residential address in Glenroy, where police discovered what they believed to be human remains.
The pair are due to face Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Monday.
Police searched bushland in Heathcote, about 45km from Bendigo, on Friday after saying Mr Rockefeller may have met with foul play.
