Thomas Bednar, who was found guilty of murdering his mother in her home, called a senior judge ‘biased’ in an emotional court outburst.

Holocaust survivor found dead in Melbourne home, son charged with murder

A Melbourne man has been charged over the murder of his own mother, a Holocaust survivor, who fled Europe after World War II in search of a better life.

Judy Bednar, 78, was found dead in her Chelsea home in Melbourne’s southeast after police conducted a welfare check on Saturday.

Her 53-year-old son, Thomas Bednar, was arrested and interviewed by homicide detectives on Monday and was charged with one count of murder later that evening.

Mr Bednar faced Melbourne Magistrates’ Court overnight where he was remanded until his next court appearance in October.

The charge follows the discovery of Ms Bednar’s body inside her Drinan Road home about 10.30am on Saturday.

Worried neighbours called police to conduct a welfare check after she hadn’t been seen for a few days.

Homicide squad detectives quickly determined her death was “suspicious” and arrested her son near his Chelsea home on Monday.

Police charge sheets seen by NCA NewsWire allege Ms Bednar was murdered sometime between May 12 and May 15.

It’s understood Mr Bednar suffers from a mental illness.

Ms Bednar left Hungary as a young girl with her family at the end of World War II after her relatives had been imprisoned in concentration camps during the Nazi regime.

Read the article by Jack Paynter in Perth Now.