Harrowing details of alleged protracted violence emerge as man fronts court accused of murdering his partner Jayda Allen Bonner in a Melbourne apartment

By TARA COSOLETO FOR AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATED PRESS 09:48 14 Oct 2026, updated 10:01 14 Oct 2026

A man will remain behind bars after he was charged with the murder of his 21-year-old partner in a Melbourne apartment block.

Liban Ali, 31, is accused of killing Yuggera woman Jayda Allen Bonner, who was found dead in the Cardigan Street complex in inner-city Carlton just before 2am on Saturday.

Ali was arrested on Tuesday morning after presenting himself to a police station.

He appeared in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday night after being charged with Ms Allen Bonner’s murder.

It’s understood that Ali and Ms Allen Bonner had been in a relationship.

The 31-year-old did not speak during his brief court hearing as police sought a longer-than-usual period to compile the brief of evidence.

Lead detective Darren Bolitho told the court there were months of CCTV footage to be analysed as there were allegations of protracted violence and post-offence conduct.

There were also complexities around the autopsy and blood pattern analysis from inside the apartment, Senior Constable Bolitho said.

Magistrate Malcolm Thomas granted the longer period, accepting it was not an unusual request for homicide cases.

The magistrate also noted down Ali’s custody management issues, which included previous diagnoses of post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression.

Ali did not apply for bail and was remanded in custody to next face court in March.

A 60-year-old man was also arrested shortly after the incident on Saturday but was released pending further inquiries.

Flowers, photos, candles and handwritten notes have lined the entrance to the Carlton apartment block as loved ones and locals paid their respects.

A fundraiser was set up to aid funeral expenses and assist family to travel from Queensland to say their goodbyes.

‘Jayda was a caring, loving young woman with a heart of gold and so much life ahead of her,’ Ms Allen Bonner’s family wrote on the fundraiser page.

‘She was deeply loved by her family and friends, and her loss has left an unimaginable void in the lives of those who knew her.’

An Indigenous smoking ceremony outside a public housing tower on nearby Lygon Street will honour the Yuggera woman this Saturday night.

Mourners will then march from the site to Parliament House to protest against gendered violence.

READ MORE: Jayda, 21, begged for cops to protect her – but no-one came. Now she’s been found beaten to death

Family of 24-year-old mauled to death by tiger at Yorkshire zoo pay tribute to ‘bright young man’…

How traditional British surnames are dying out: Khan, Ahmed and Ali enter top 10 baby names and…

Civil servant used remote working to fraudulently hold down FIVE government jobs at the same time,…

Trump plucked Katie Zacharia from obscurity to be the new face of his White House. 15 excruciating…

IT specialist father-of-two, 42, named as man who plunged to his death from Six Flags Over Georgia…

Dad who fell to his death from Six Flags roller coaster levitated and made eye contact with other…

Pope Leo has lung cancer, Vatican confirms: Pontiff is diagnosed after operation

Michael Gove’s Oxford don ex-girlfriend is facing trial for possession of child abuse images

Four out of five new jobs went to foreigners in the past decade, new report reveals

AI ‘superchargers’ terrorism threat: MI5 chief delivers chilling warning that enemies will use tech…

Woman crushed to death by suicidal jumper from 11th floor in Japan – but he survives: Father demands…

Harry and Meghan are set to cash in on their royal connections like never before. They seem to think…

Parents who died alongside two of their children in ‘arson’ attack on their home are named – as…

London’s oldest restaurant, Rules, ‘where kings dined and politicians and writers plotted’, given to…

Driver crashed into grammar school head cycling home before dragging him ‘for over a mile’ then…

Hunt for ‘killer’ after couple and two children die in house fire – and two more youngsters fight…