A fisherman who discovered a woman’s body in the Maribyrnong River said she was wearing a bag over her head and had plastic wrapped around her legs.
The woman’s body was found floating in the water near Footscray on Sunday morning, just 90 minutes before a man’s body was also found in the river.
A Flemington man who made the gruesome discovery and wished to remain anonymous said he was fishing on the river bank when he noticed bags of rubbish floating in the water.
“I went closer and thought it was just a dummy – hoped it was just a dummy,” he told the Herald Sun.
The man said the woman had significant bruising on her left arm and noted her face was covered with rags.
“Her head was covered with a blue cloth,” he said.
In order not to alarm passers-by, the former military personnel quickly called the emergency number 0 and waited on the river bank until the police arrived at around 10:30 a.m.
The man was shaken by the ordeal and said he did not want to return home because he lives alone.
When the woman’s body was found on the rocky river bank on Sunday morning, river police could be seen near the river.
Forensic photographers and detectives were also seen taking notes and photographing the woman’s body, which appeared to be mostly covered in blue plastic.
Victoria Police confirmed that a second body was discovered by a member of the public in Flemington approximately 90 minutes later.
The bodies have yet to be officially identified and police are investigating whether there is a suspicious connection between the deaths.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000