Man charged in Cairns over 2008 murder of Melbourne man James Russouw

A man has been charged in Cairns with murder of Melbourne man James Russouw eight years ago.

The burnt body of Mr Russouw, then 24, was found in the front seat of his blue Jeep Cherokee near East Burwood Reserve on March 7, 2008.

Mr Russouw, from Box Hill South, had allegedly been stabbed to death before the car was doused in an accelerant and set alight.

Victoria Police today said cold case detectives had travelled to Cairns and charged a 30-year-old Holloways Beach man with Mr Russouw’s murder.

The accused man appeared in a Cairns court today.

He was not represented by a lawyer and has been remanded in custody to appear again in court tomorrow. 

Homicide detectives are expected to apply to have the accused man extradited to Victoria.

A low-level drug dealer, Mr Russouw received a call on a public phone at a Kmart in East Burwood on the night he was killed.  

He is then believed to have picked up an acquaintance and driven to the reserve on the Burwood Highway to conduct a drug deal.

A green Ford Falcon sedan was seen leaving the park as Mr Russouw’s car burned nearby.

Last month, police announced a $1 million reward for information that led to the conviction of Mr Russouw’s killer. 

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