Human remains have been discovered north-west of Melbourne during the search for missing father Khalid Malas, who police allege was shot during a violent dispute last week.
The remains were found at about 3pm on Wednesday on Havelock Road at Clarkefield, according to a report published by Nine. Police said formal identification had not yet been completed. The coroner has been notified and a post-mortem examination is expected to establish the person’s identity and cause of death.
Discovery follows week-long search
The discovery came after an extensive search for the 37-year-old father of three. Specialist police resources deployed during the operation reportedly included divers, dog squad members and officers searching on foot. Members of Mr Malas’s family also joined the effort to find him.
Investigators allege Mr Malas was shot in the torso on Wednesday last week after travelling with two friends to a property at Wildwood, on Melbourne’s northern fringe. Nine reported that the group had gone to the address in connection with a debt before a dispute allegedly became violent.
Police allege a 56-year-old homeowner placed the wounded man in a utility vehicle. That vehicle was later seen at a service station in Greenvale, roughly 20 kilometres south-east of Wildwood. The precise sequence of events after the alleged shooting remains under investigation.
Existing charge may be reviewed
The 56-year-old man has been charged with one count of intentionally causing serious injury. That charge is an allegation and the accused is entitled to the presumption of innocence.
Police are expected to consider whether further or upgraded charges are appropriate after receiving the post-mortem findings. Any change to the case will depend on the forensic results and the continuing investigation. Authorities have not publicly confirmed that the remains are those of Mr Malas.
Detectives believe the people involved were known to one another, according to the Nine report. No broader threat to the public has been suggested in the information released so far.
Family mourns as identification remains pending
Mr Malas’s relatives have described him as a much-loved father and appealed for answers during the search. Family member Abdul Malas told Nine that he was a “beautiful man” who did not deserve what had happened to him.
The discovery marks a grim development for a family that had spent a week awaiting news, but the formal identification process remains an important legal and forensic step. Post-mortem examinations can help establish identity, determine injuries and assist police in reconstructing the circumstances surrounding a death.
Investigation continues
Clarkefield and Wildwood are semi-rural communities beyond Melbourne’s northern suburbs. Searches across open land can require multiple specialist teams, particularly when investigators are working across a wide area and attempting to preserve potential evidence.
Police have not released detailed information about what led search teams to Havelock Road or whether other locations remain under examination. Further updates are expected after the remains are formally identified and forensic testing is completed.
The case now moves through two parallel processes: the coroner’s examination of the remains and the criminal investigation into the alleged shooting. Until those processes advance, key questions — including the identity of the deceased and whether the current charge will change — remain unresolved.