Police have launched a murder investigation after a human torso was discovered stuffed inside a couch dumped on the side of a road in Sydney's Lane Cove North. The remains, believed to belong to an adult male, were found without a head and limbs in an area covered by trees and scrubland, not far from the city's leafy North Shore.
Officers were called to the scene after residents reported a strong odour coming from an area just off Avan Crescent. Forensic investigators arrived as murder detectives took over the case, with the scene bordering a river.
Discovery on a quiet street
North Shore Local Area Commander Paul Devaney confirmed the torso was undergoing forensic testing and that the remains were found just five metres off the road on a "very quiet" street on Wednesday at 2.30pm local time.
Supt Devaney said: "We received a number of reports from members of the public in relation to the odour and the suspicious item, and that's how (police) came to be there. This is a very, very quiet street in Lane Cove – an area that has nil crime rate, so it's very unusual activity."
He added: "Obviously it's distressing to the local community, and I want to assure them that I'm confident they're not under any threat. There's no indication this person met foul play within the area of Lane Cove, but as I said it's very early stages and we are still undertaking numerous and comprehensive inquiries."
Community reaction and ongoing investigation
The area is home to several popular local walking tracks, including the Lane Cove River Track and the Garadi Track, reports Newswire. A large section of the bushland was roped off on Thursday morning as detectives scoured the surrounding area for evidence. A search dog trained to sniff out human remains was also brought in as investigations continued.
Lane Cove Mayor Merri Southwood told NewsWire the local community was deeply disturbed by the incident, and her feelings were with those who discovered the torso. "However the torso was located, that must have been a very traumatic experience for those people. My thoughts in the short term are with the people who actually found it," she said. "Whatever the circumstances, it's a very sad development. No council wants to have this happen in their local government area."
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers Australia on 1800 333 000.
