Double murder stuns locals in border town

On a weekday, Moama's main street is usually pretty sleepy but right now there's plenty to talk about.

The topic of conversation is a grisly double murder just outside the Murray River tourist town. The victims, a Moama man and a woman from nearby Mathoura, were shot dead in their car.

The killings come after attacks on several women in the area in recent months and the attempted abduction of a boy, says local teacher Sarah Mai.

"It's huge. We only live four kilometres from where it happened. That's not far at all," she told AAP.

"They haven't found who did it and it's such a suspect thing to happen on a quiet gravel road. It makes me feel so unsafe."

Ms Mai says knowledge of the crime won't have escaped the children at her school.

"One of the kids will know one of (the victims). In a community like this we're all affected."

Jennifer Shearer of Barmah, on the northern side of the river, said the murders and a prison escape last week near Shepparton made her jittery.

"I was saying to a policeman the other day that living in the forest where I do is spooky sometimes. Someone could go 'pow, pow' and nobody would know," she said.

"Last night, I made sure everything was locked. Normally I might sit out on the deck but I stayed inside."

Up from Melbourne with his wife Margaret, John Paravicini said the crime had changed his view of Moama.

"When we were kids you never thought about murders, they happened somewhere else. But then there's something like this, in this day and age, and it gets closer and closer to home."

Doug, a farmer who lives near the murder scene, said he wasn't fazed by what had happened but asked AAP not to use his surname.

"It doesn't worry me but my missus is a bit upset," he said.

"I made sure I locked everything last night but whoever did it will be a million miles away."

One of his neighbours, who didn't want his name published at all, said he felt anxious.

"It was scary to hear someone was shot so close," he said.

"At least I can get out my front gate today. Yesterday I couldn't get out and the local coppers couldn't tell me anything."