Suspect in Australian teacher Shanae Brooke Edwards’s murder denied bail

Rafael Mursakulov, a 33-year-old Georgian citizen, who has been charged with armed robbery and intentional homicide of Australian teacher Shanae Brooke Edwards in Tbilisi in late July has been denied bail by Tbilisi City Court earlier today. 

 

The crimes Mursakulov has been charged with are punishable by 16-20 years in prison or life imprisonment. 

 

Mursakulov, who was arrested on September 8, denies allegations against him. 

 

The Prosecutor’s Office says that he attacked Shanae Brooke Edwards to rob her and then strangled her to conceal the crime. 

 

Shanae Brooke Edwards arrived in Georgia two years ago and was working as an English-language teacher in Tbilisi, living on the same Gogebashvili street, where Mursakulov lives. 

 

She went missing on July 30 while on a hike near Mtatsminda park in central Tbilisi and was found dead on the next day.