Forensic officers clean up after human remains were found under a house in Mount St Thomas on Saturday. Picture: Orlando Chiodo
HUMAN remains were found under a house in Mount St Thomas on Saturday afternoon, after a three-day search by police investigating the alleged murder of Nicholas Katopodis.
Forensic officers have been searching a Gladstone Avenue home since Thursday after receiving new information about the 45-year-old Cordeaux Heights man’s death.
On Saturday afternoon about 2pm they discovered human remains underneath the house.
Officers cleaning up the grisly scene were covered in mud and large piles of dirt had been dug up in the front yard.
Police search home for new clues in suspected murder
Mr Katopodis was last seen at the Wollongong Hellenic Club on July 27, 2011.
Police have undertaken several searches for his body since then, including a search at WIN Television’s Mount St Thomas headquarters last year, but have failed to find any trace of the missing man.
Searches have also been conducted in Windy Gully and Coniston.
On Friday, Wollongong Acting Superintendent Tim Beattie said finding Mr Katopodis’ body was critical to the investigation and important in bringing closure to his family.
Police said this week’s search was the result of a number of further inquiries by Wollongong detectives attached to Strike Force Franey.
The human remains found today will be taken for a post mortem examination to formally identify them and to establish a cause of death.
Mount St Thomas man Jason Aroha Wiremu Hiroki was charged with Mr Katopodis’ murder in September 2011.
The 40-year-old is currently in custody.
He has pleaded not guilty and his trial is set to start in the Supreme Court sitting in Wollongong on Monday.