By Luke Voogt
Police charged a Connewarre man with murder on Monday over the alleged fatal stabbing of Whittington man Geoffrey McDonald last week.
Homicide Squad detectives on Monday morning arrested Joshua Hocking and his partner following the alleged stabbing at a Whittington house last Wednesday.
They arrested the 35-year-old Connewarre man and his 34-year-old partner in Shepherdson Avenue, Corio, about 11.20am, a Victoria Police spokesperson said.
Homicide detectives charged Mr Hocking with murder and he faced Geelong Magistrates’ Court later that afternoon.
Police released the 34-year-old woman pending further enquiries. The arrest follows a five-day manhunt for Mr Hocking.
Last week police made a public appeal for information on his whereabouts as part of their investigation into the death of Geoffrey McDonald, 47, on October 14.
“Police would like to thank the public and media for their assistance with this matter,” a police spokesperson said on Monday morning.
Emergency services rushed to a property on Planet Court about 3pm last Wednesday after reports a man had been stabbed.
On arrival police found Mr McDonald with life-threatening injuries and paramedics took him to hospital where he later died.
“A 17-year-old male who was also home at the time was not injured,” a police spokesperson said.
Police alleged Mr Hocking left the address in a purple Ford sedan, which had since been located by officers.
Police alleged Mr Hocking and Mr McDonald knew each other.
A magistrate remanded Mr Hocking in custody and adjourned the matter until November 5, when the accused is due to appear again for a forensic procedure hearing.
The hearing will determine a police application to take a compulsory sample of Mr Hocking’s DNA.
Mr Hocking will again face court for a committal mention on March 15, 2021.
The death is the second in Whittington that Homicide Squad detectives have investigated in a fortnight.
In a separate incident earlier this month detectives charged Whittington man Haig Arslanian, 39, with murder over the shooting death of his younger brother David Arslanian.
He was remanded in custody to appear in court again on March 5, 2021.
