A 17-year-old has been charged with murder in connection with the March death of a Melbourne teenager.
Wednesday morning, Homicide Squad detectives detained the teen at Melbourne Airport and charged him with murder.
The teenager briefly appeared in a children’s court just before 1pm on Wednesday where he was formally charged with murder.
Declan Cutler, 16, was fatally assaulted and stabbed on a residential street in Reservoir, 12km north of Melbourne’s CBD, on March 13.
Just before 2:30 a.m., emergency personnel were sent to Elizabeth Street after receiving allegations of an attack.
Declan was treated by paramedics and police but died at the scene.
Authorities have described the 16-year-murder old’s as “one of the most vicious and brutal attacks” they have ever witnessed.
Earlier this week, Victoria’s Chief Police Commissioner Shane Patton called the suspected murder as a “horrific assault.”
The eight teenagers allegedly pursued Declan in a dark sedan after he left a party in Coburg North following a confrontation.
The police allege that the boy slipped and fell after being pulled from behind after being separated from his friends.
In a written statement submitted to a children’s court in March, Homicide Squad Detective Senior Constable Brendan Stack stated, “All eight criminals continued to stomp, kick, punch, and stab the dead.”
It took Victoria Police just 10 days to lay charges against six of the alleged killers.
A 17-year-old boy from Taylors Hill, a 17-year-old boy from Tarneit, a 15-year-old boy from Hoppers Crossing, a 16-year-old boy from Yarraville, a 14-year-old boy from Meadow Heights, and a 13-year-old boy from Meadow Heights have all been charged with murder.
In April, another youngster, a 17-year-old kid, was also charged with murder.
Tuesday, prosecutors informed a children’s court that DNA evidence, CCTV video, and fingerprint analysis will be presented as evidence.
In October, the court will hold a disputed committal hearing for the adolescent’s seven co-defendants.
The 17-year-old did not request bail and was kept in jail until his September 13 court appearance.
Many veteran police officers, according to Assistant Commissioner Bob Hill, saw the ‘very vicious assault’ as one of the most severe they had ever seen.
It’s every parent’s greatest fear to have their adolescent leave the home for a night out with friends and never return, but that’s precisely what happened here,’ Mr. Hill added.
No one should overlook the senselessness of this tragedy; I know it has affected our cops.
Sam, Declan’s mother, told 7News in March that she was “broken” and demanded that those responsible be held accountable.
She said, “His whole face filled up my day; everything about him, his mischievous antics.” He was a warm, compassionate, and easygoing individual.
Declan’s parents and four younger siblings survive him.