Cold Case Murder Arrest: Man Faces Court 34 Years After Wife Melinda Freeman’s Death in Whittlesea

More than three decades after the death of his wife, Craig Freeman, 63, has faced court for the first time, charged with the murder of Melinda Freeman in 1991.

Freeman appeared in Melbourne Magistrates Court via video link on Wednesday after being charged over the death of his wife, who was 26 when her body was found in their Whittlesea home, in Melbourne’s outer north, on October 4, 1991.

During the brief court appearance, prosecutors did not outline the specific allegations against Freeman. The 63-year-old only spoke to confirm he could hear the magistrate from the police cells.

His lawyer, Paul Galbally, informed the court that this was Freeman’s first time in custody and requested he see a nurse due to a previous stroke. Freeman was remanded in custody and did not apply for bail; his next hearing is scheduled for March.

The breakthrough in the Whittlesea cold case comes years after the initial incident. Police previously detailed the events of the day of the alleged murder:

In 2018, police received an anonymous tip-off about Melissa Freeman’s death।

The couple spent the day with immediate family celebrating Melinda’s sister’s return from overseas.

They returned to their home on Yea Road around 4 pm.

Freeman then left the house with their nine-month-old son to attend a card game, claiming he intended to give his wife time to study for her beauty course.

Upon their return at 11:30 pm, Freeman claimed the house looked ransacked with the front door open, and that he discovered his wife’s body on the top storey landing.

The three-decade-old investigation was reinvigorated by an anonymous tip-off received by police in 2018, and a $1 million reward offered in 2022 for information leading to an arrest.