Homicide squad investigators have released Tullamarine father Tomislav Perinovic without charge and say they've formed a preliminary view that the deaths of his wife and their three young children was murder-suicide.
Police located the bodies of 42-year-old Katie Perinovic and her children Claire, 7, Anna, 5, and Matthew, 3 inside their Burgess Street home on Thursday afternoon.
Katie Perinovic, 42, was found dead with her three children aged 3, 5, and 7 at their Tullamarine home.
Victoria Police released a statement on Friday afternoon, saying Mr Perinovic was last night released without charge.
"Homicide Squad investigators have formed the preliminary view that the 42-year-old woman is responsible for all four deaths and on completion of their investigation, a report will be provided for consideration of the coroner," police said.
Detectives spoke to a large number of people, including the family, friends, and neighbours of the deceased, police said.
An extensive forensic examination of the scene was also conducted.
Acting Deputy Commissioner Robert Hill said there would be many people in the community struggling to understand and come to terms with this tragedy.
“This has also been an incredibly difficult time for both the police and paramedics who responded and attended the scene yesterday," he said.
“This has been an incredibly heart-wrenching experience for all concerned.”
Police will prepare a report for the coroner.
Five-year-old Anna Perinovic had been due to start prep in weeks, joining her elder sister Claire at St Christopher's Primary School in Airport West.
Instead, the school community has been left devastated by the deaths of both girls, their younger brother Matthew and their mother Katie.
"Our school community is deeply shocked to receive this heartbreaking news and extends sincere sympathy and prayerful support to the Perinovic family and all who are struggling to comprehend this tragic loss of life," principal Adrian Glasby said.
"Claire was a kind, diligent, and much-loved student at St Christopher’s, and we were looking forward to welcoming Anna, with her huge smile, into prep to begin her school journey in just a couple of weeks’ time."
Daniel and Vicki Schembri heard the police cars pulling up outside their Tullamarine house on Thursday afternoon.
Outside, they found their neighbour of several decades, Tomislav Perinovic, sitting ashen-faced in his front garden in Burgess Street.
"He was just numb," Vicki said. "He looked bad, he looked very bad."
They watched as police took his blood pressure, before they were asked to go back inside their house.
It was only a day earlier that his wife, Katie Perinovic, arrived at their front door to drop off a bag full of ripe plums she had picked from their garden.
Less than 24 hours later, Ms Perinovic and her children Claire, 7, Anna, 5, and Matthew, 3 would all be found dead inside their home.
The Schembris would often exchange gifts and food with the family, especially around Easter and Christmas. Only a fews weeks earlier, Ms Schembri had brought the children Christmas stockings filled with chocolates and lollies.
Now, the retirees, like friends and neighbours of Ms Perinovic and her three young children have been left struggling to comprehend the tragedy.
On Friday morning police reopened Burgess Street and it was not long before people overcome by grief began arriving at the scene, laying bunches of flowers outside the family's brown brick home.
A woman and her young daughter visited, placing a handwritten note at makeshift vigil outside the house.
"To Claire and Matthew and Katey," it read. "You always are really nice, loving, caring and Claire was my BFF always. Love from Anabelle."
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