The shattered father of a teenager charged with the alleged rape and murder of Eurydice Dixon says he is ‘as appalled as the rest of society’ about the brutal attack on the young woman.
Jason Todd broke down as he expressed his condolences to the family of Ms Dixon, 22, whose body was found in a Melbourne park in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
Mr Todd’s son Jaymes, 19, was charged with Ms Dixon’s alleged rape and murder.
The father-of-three told Daily Mail Australia that Jaymes still lived at home with him, his mother and their two other boys, and that he hadn’t seen his son since the alleged attack in Princes Park, in Carlton North.
Jaymes Todd (pictured) has been charged with the alleged rape and murder of Eurydice Dixon in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Todd’s father says he is ‘as appalled as the rest of society’
Todd’s father Jason told Daily Mail Australia he wanted to pass on his condolences to the family of Ms Dixon (pictured), saying the alleged attack was ‘indescribable’
‘It’s indescribable. It’s a very hard time for me and the family, and I feel greatly for Eurydice’s family and friends and offer my condolences, ‘ Mr Todd said.
‘There is nothing I can do to change it or make it better, but I wish there was. That comes from our whole family – we’re as appalled as the rest of society about what happened to her.
‘I’ve been told not to talk but I feel there’s a need to get it out there that we’re all as appalled as the rest of society.
‘I don’t know what I can do, but I just want to offer our condolences.
‘I know nothing about what happened, I haven’t even seen him yet and I’ve got nothing to tell you, I’m probably going to get dragged over the coals for this.
‘His mother and I have been together for 27 years and all three children live at home.’
On social media, Jaymes’ mother Kristina proudly displayed pictures of her son, including one of him next to a message that says: ‘I love you Mum from Jaymes’.
Pictured: Jaymes Todd arriving at court on Thursday, where his lawyer explained that the 19-year-old had been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder
‘I don’t know what I can do, but I just want to offer our condolences,’ Jason Todd (pictured), Jaymes’ father, told Daily Mail Australia
Ms Dixon left Highlander Bar at 10.30pm and her body was found four hours later at Princes Park
Ms Dixon’s was a regular comedic performer at Highlander Bar (pictured) in Melbourne’s CBD
Mr Todd said he did not want to discuss his son’s ongoing battle with autism, which was mentioned by his lawyer during a brief court appearance on Thursday.
Jaymes handed himself into police on Wednesday, almost 24 hours after Ms Dixon’s body was found. Police say the pair did not know each other.
He did not say anything for the full hour he spent sitting in a Melbourne Magistrates Court dock on Thursday, but did at one point put a hand over his mouth in order to conceal a yawn.
His Legal Aid lawyer John Riordan argued that Mr Todd’s mental health condition, as well as his age and appearance, would put the teenager at high risk in prison.
Mr Riordan told the court that Mr Todd’s family had ‘indicated his condition makes him socially regressive.
Homicide detectives combed the park in the inner Melbourne suburb of Carlton North (pictured is the scene)
Mourners have set up a makeshift memorial for Ms Dixon just metres from where her body was found (pictured). A march for the 22-year-old is set to be held on Monday
A ring of flowers lies on the grass at Princes Park, a popular area for joggers and just metres from the home base of the Carlton Blues AFL team
‘We’re so sorry that this world failed you, Eurydice’: A floral tribute left at Princes Park
Police patrol the area near where Ms Dixon’s body was discovered more than 48 hours earlier
Detectives are now poring over CCTV to put together Ms Dixon’s final moments
‘He struggles in certain social environments and that may have a significant impact on him in custody,’ said the lawyer.
The court further heard that Mr Todd was on prescribed medication for his condition.
Mr Riordan applied to have Mr Todd’s name and image suppressed from any media reports for the sake of the culprit’s 15-year-old brother.
Magistrate Andrew McKenna ultimately ruled his image should be suppressed, but not his name.
A makeshift memorial has been set up just metres from where Ms Dixon’s body was discovered, while a march is also planned for the streets of Melbourne on Monday.
A similar march was held for Jill Meagher after she was raped and murdered in the nearby suburb of Brunswick in 2012.
Detectives are now poring over CCTV footage, hoping to piece together Ms Dixon’s final moments that led her to Princes Park.
‘I am absolutely shattered to hear of the despicable death of Eurydice Dixon,’ (pictured) wrote Australian comedian Julia Morris on Twitter, stating that ‘Our comedy community is like a family and this news is beyond heart breaking’
An aspiring comedian (pictured, right, with her boyfriend) may have been stalked for 4.5km before being allegedly raped and murdered by an autistic teenager just 900m from her home
Just hours before her body was discovered in the middle of a soccer field, the junior comedian had performed in front of friends at Highlander Bar, in Melbourne’s CBD.
Following the show she caught a tram home with her boyfriend of four-months Tony Magnuson, before getting off a few stops early.
Mr Magnusson told the Herald Sun how they had enjoyed a Dr Pepper and a protein bar from a convenience store, before she blew him a kiss and walked off.
She later text him: ‘I’m almost home safe, HBU [how about you?]’, but she would never make it home alive.
Police believe her accused may have followed her from the bar to the Carlton park.
Her heartbreaking final moments on stage were revealed on Friday morning, with a video of her performance posted to social media by friend Paula Ferrari.
A GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for Ms Dixon’s family raised more than $45,000 in one day.