Mrs. Meagher’s body was found in a shallow grave after a night out with colleagues. 41 year-old Adrian Bayley has been charged with her rape and murder and is due to appear in front of the Melbourne magistrate this morning.
Bayley was identified speaking to Jill Meagher while wearing a blue hoodie on a CCTV camera just before her disappearance. Melbourne Police have said that the ‘Find Jill Meagher’ Facebook campaign, which has over 120,000 supporters, aided in their search.
Jill’s mother joined the anti-violence march and participated in a moment of silence for her daughter. ‘I would like to thank the huge support here in Melbourne, it’s just been unbelievable. Just thank you, simply thank you” said Edith McKeon. “And I hope they put more cameras in here to keep people safe. And just thank you everybody, everybody for all your support.”
The victim’s mother has become an advocate for more CCTV cameras to be installed in the area where Jillian was last seen. This sentiment has been seconded by others in Melbourne who feel their safety is now at risk. The city has been shocked to its core.
‘There is a feeling of shock, it’s a case that not only affected all of us in ABC, but particularly it affected lots of women in the Melbourne area, who walk home by themselves without giving a second thought to it,’ said Jill’s ABC colleague, Gloria Kalache.
Meagher was last seen over a week ago. She and her husband Tom, both originally from Ireland, relocated to Australia three years ago.
Image via Getty.
