Courtney Herron: Mother of woman beaten to death in Melbourne with tree branch dealt another devastating blow as thief makes off with her late daughter’s jewellery

The grieving mother of a woman beaten to death with a tree branch has suffered another cruel blow after a thief stole her dead daughter’s jewellery on the anniversary of her killing.

Maxi Antoniou’s daughter Courtney Herron, 25, was so savagely bashed on May 25, 2019 that the mortician could not put her broken body back together. 

Her killer, Henry Hammond, was found not guilty of her murder by a judge who accepted he was mentally impaired at the time. Instead, he was ordered to serve 25 years in a psychiatric hospital. 

Now, Ms Antoniou claims she has been forced to relive the horror after a brazen thief ransacked her Moonee Ponds home, in inner-city Melbourne, earlier this month and took off with a gold cross and Pandora bracelet belonging to her daughter. 

Henry Hammond (pictured) was ordered to spend 25 years in a psychiatric hospital after a judge accepted he was mentally impaired at the time

‘The value in money is not that great. But the value to myself and my family and my children is priceless,’ Ms Antoniou told 7News. 

‘The violation is just as bad as when Courtney was (killed). I can’t describe the feeling of having her gone and then this person taking that jewellery.’

On Monday, police released CCTV images of a man who they believe can assist with their enquiries.  

‘It is understood the offender slashed the fly screen and kicked in the rear door to gain entry to the property on Hopetoun Street between 4.30pm and 6.15pm on 1 July,’ a Victoria Police spokesperson said.

The man who may be able to assist with police inquiries is described as being of middle eastern appearance, aged in his 50’s, solid build, black and grey hair with a thin goatee.

He was wearing a fluorescent yellow and dark jacket, brown shirt, dark pants and white runners. 

Anyone with information is urged to contact police immediately.  

Courtney Herron’s mum (pictured visiting the site where her daughter was killed in May 2019) said the theft of her daughter’s jewellery was a ‘violation… just as bad as when Courtney was murdered’ 

On Monday, police released CCTV images of a man who they believe can assist with their enquiries (pictured)

Hammond killed Ms Herron after they both went for an early morning work in Royal Park in inner-city Melbourne in May 2019.

He beat her to death with a branch before burying her under a pile of leaves. Her angled body was found by dog-walkers later that morning.

When he was arrested, Hammond told police he thought he recognised Ms Herron from a past life and that he killed her in an act of revenge for killing his wife.

In May, Daily Mail Australia revealed that Hammond was enjoying conjugal visits with a fellow ‘patient’ within the walls of one of Australia’s most notorious asylums for the criminally insane. 

In March 2021, Supreme Court of Victoria Justice Phillip Priest ordered Hammond be moved from Port Phillip Prison to Thomas Embling Hospital under a custodial supervision order that could be reviewed as early as next year. 

‘He’s a very aggressive prisoner. He’ll spit on the nurses, but he’s got a girlfriend who he’s met inside and they’re allowed to go in the conjugal room,’ a well placed source told this publication. 

Hooking-up with females within Thomas Embling is a well known perk among killers hoping to get-off on murders with mental impairment pleas. 

Bourke Street killer James Gargasoulas – who failed in his mental impairment bid – told psychologist Michael Daffern he was keen on serving time at Thomas Embling ‘because there would be females there’.