Meagher husband 'humbled' by support

In response, Victoria police posted a message on its Facebook page warning users of their legal responsibilities and warning that “it is inappropriate to post speculation or comments about matters before the courts”.

Yesterday, Ms Meagher's family said they were “devastated and heartbroken” by her death. A statement released by Ms Meagher’s uncle Michael McKeon last night said her aunts, uncles and cousins were “powerless to describe their loss”.

Police have said CCTV footage made public on Wednesday played a major role in the arrest of Mr Bayley. In the footage, Ms Meagher is seen talking to a man wearing a blue hooded top as she walked along Sydney Road after a night out with friends from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), where she worked in local radio.

ABC managing director Mark Scott says Ms Meagher “was widely known, universally respected and much loved, with a great career ahead of her”.

Sara Brocklesby, who lives up the street from Jill and Tom Meagher’s apartment, said it was “devastating” to wake up to the news that her body had been discovered. “It’s been a pretty sad day after a very tense week,” Ms Brocklesby told RTÉ Radio.

Brunswick was a “really tight knit community” and one which felt like “a very safe area to live in” it was "very commonplace for locals to “walk the streets at night,” she said. There was going to be a community gathering this weekend “to offer people in the area a chance to share our grief” she added.

ABC News reported that police went with Mr Bayley to a location where her body was found. A Victoria Police spokesman said officers were continuing to conduct forensic analysis of the scene.

Several other women have come forward to say they had been attacked in the Brunswick area.

Speaking from Drogheda last night, Ms Meagher’s family said: “We had hope yesterday when there was no evidence of foul play but when the man in the CCTV footage was arrested we feared the worst”.

The family thanked the public “around the world” for their help and acknowledged the role that social media had played in the search. They said that while it had helped them to reach a conclusion, “it is not the one we had hoped and prayed for”.

Jill Meagher’s uncle said that both the McKeon and the Meagher families would have to plan now to grieve. “This is going to be one of the hardest things, given that only three years ago we came together for the marriage of this lovely couple.”