Michelle Darragh, 32, and her former partner, Ben Coman. Photo / Facebook
The estranged partner of a pregnant mum found dead inside his Melbourne home has been charged with her murder.
The lifeless body of Michelle Darragh, a mum of two young boys who was expecting her third child, was found by her dad at the Bayswater North home of her former partner about 7.30pm on October 9.
The 32-year-old and her ex-partner Benjamin Coman, 29, were both found inside the Huntingdon Ave property with life threatening injuries.
She could not be saved.
Coman, a cabinet maker, was rushed to hospital where he remained under police guard until he recovered enough to be interviewed by homicide squad detectives.
Police confirmed on Tuesday the 29-year-old had been charged with murder and was expected to face the Melbourne Magistrates' Court later that afternoon.
A neighbour told NCA NewsWire it was Darragh's father who made the tragic discovery inside the Bayswater North home.
He had dropped in to check on her after growing concerned she hadn't returned home earlier that afternoon.
The neighbour said the first he learned of the tragedy was when he wandered outside about 7.30pm and found Darragh's mum crying and screaming.
Darragh and Coman had recently separated after five years together and she had reportedly returned to the house that Saturday afternoon to collect some belongings.
The social worker had been living with her parents in The Basin during the separation, and they grew concerned when she hadn't returned by the evening.
The neighbour, who had known the couple for several years, said Darragh's dad couldn't get into the house through the front door, so he had to climb the fence and go through the back, which is when he made the traumatic discovery and phoned emergency services.
Darragh's death sent shock waves through the local community in Melbourne's outer east.
Neighbour Trent Falahey said they were a "nice family" and the street was in shock.
He said he never would have imagined something like this could have happened and the couple, along with their young boys, often came over for barbecues.
Darragh's friend Alyssa Roubicek said her family's lives had been "torn apart" and her two boys, aged 3 and 1, would be raised by their grandparents.
"Michelle leaves behind many loved ones, but most importantly a 3-year-old and a 1-year-old who will now grow up without the love and support of their devoted mother," she said.
Roubicek has established a GoFundMe fundraiser to support Ms Darragh's two children, which has so far raised almost $140,000.
A man has been charged with killing 75-year-old Bernie Peri, as the small community mourns his loss.