A man has been charged with raping and murdering a young mother after she was allegedly beaten and left to die in bushes more than 30 years ago.
Samantha Mizzi was found unresponsive by a passerby in bushes at the rear of a St Kilda property in Melbourne's southeast late on the evening of March 29, 1994.
The 24-year-old from the central Victorian town of Castlemaine, near Bendigo, was taken to hospital but died the next morning.
She had been severely beaten with an object and sexually abused before being stripped and left to die, police have previously alleged.
Her belongings were stolen and the weapon used in her alleged murder was never found.
Ms Mizzi travelled to the area the previous day in a bid to earn some money to support her children, who were at home being cared for by a friend.
Witnesses saw her speaking to an unknown man on Brighton Rd before the pair walked towards Blanche St.
A short time later, local residents reported hearing a woman scream three or four times.
A 67-year-old man was arrested in Ararat on Thursday and has since been charged with murder and two counts of rape.
The arrest and charges highlight how detectives remain committed to holding violent offenders to account no matter how many years have passed, Detective Inspector Dean Thomas said.
"It also shows that progress can be made on cases, even after decades have passed, and that we can begin the process of providing families with long-needed answers," he said.
"If there are people out there who have information about a crime such as this, no matter how many years have passed, I can assure you that it's never too late to come forward."
The man charged with Ms Mizzi's murder was expected to face Melbourne Magistrates Court for the first time later on Thursday.
