‘Murdered’ single dad struggled with poverty

ERIN PEARSON
A MAN found dead outside a Geelong hotel on Sunday night was single father and former social worker Edwin Singer, according to police.
Officers found his body on Cavendish Street just before midnight Sunday after passersby discovered Mr Singer dead on a footpath.
Police arrested Bradley Walters, 45, at the scene and charged him with murder.
The Independent interviewed Mr Singer, 55, in October last year about his struggle with employment and living below the poverty line.
Mr Singer said he had abandoned meat in his diet to make ends meet and visited The Salvation Army for food vouchers.
He was struggling to pay for his 12-year-old daughter’s education.
Sir Charles Hotham Hotel manager Chris Moore said both men were long-term residents of the hotel.
“The people we’ve got living here are very private people and are all dealing with it in their own way,” he said.
“We’ve been in the pub for over 20 years and, for a pub like ours that’s a very quiet place, it’s a total shock and totally unexpected.”
Detective Senior Sergeant Stephen McIntyre said a fight allegedly broke out in an upstairs room before Mr Singer’s body was found outside.
He said the pair weren’t sharing a room.
The alleged murderer “made himself known to the police”, Det Sen Sgt McIntyre said.