In an interview with The Project, Jessica Bateman said she was “shocked and saddened” by the news of the 25-year-old’s death, but said she “worried immensely” that something horrible would happen to her.

“She was couch surfing and when she couldn’t find a fiend to couch surf with, she’d spend nights in parks — the park that she was discovered in,” Ms Bateman said.

“We worried about each other but I worried about her more so because I live in a house, I’ve got support systems, I’ve got family and Courtney didn’t.

“She knew that her family loved her, but she wasn’t in touch with them. It was very, if you will, sporadic.”

Ms Bateman said her friend had been let by the system. She said Ms Herron had been seeking government assistance with housing and treatment for her drug dependency and mental illness.

“Absolutely the system failed her,” she said.

“She was trying to get into public housing, she was trying to get onto methadone or something that would stop the withdrawal symptoms that she was going to face — and the fear of withdrawal is what really kept her using.”

She said Ms Herron was unable to gain access to medication she needed because she didn’t have a fixed address.

“She couldn’t even get public housing,” she said.

Asked by host Waleed Aly whether her friend’s tragic story was more about violence against women or about homelessness, Ms Bateman replied: “Homelessness, all the way.”

“Women are more vulnerable than men being homeless. Men can attack them, can take advantage of them, especially when it concerns mental illness and drugs,” she said.

“Those two things... it leads to jails, institutions, homelessness and death.”

Ms Bateman also told a touching story about the last time she saw Ms Herron, demonstrating how “generous” she was.

“I didn’t have enough money on my Miki card to get home and she gave me $10 which she didn’t need to do,” she said.

“I mean, she couldn’t put that towards a bed, shelter for the night, safety, but she got me back home.”

Earlier today the heartbroken family of the slain woman visited the site where her body was found.

The 25-year-old’s mother, grandmother, uncle, arrived at Royal Park this afternoon where they laid flowers and wept over the logs where she was found.

Her grandmother and mother held each other and cried as they left white and pink roses for the slain girl.

The devastating visit came as a vigil was announced to remember Ms Herron, to be held at Royal Park on Friday at 5pm.

Earlier today, the man accused of the brutal bashing murder of Melbourne woman Courtney Herron has appeared briefly in court.

Henry Hammond, 27, was arrested on Sunday afternoon, a day after Ms Herron’s body was found behind logs at Royal Park in Parkville, a short walk from Melbourne Zoo.

Mr Hammond, of no fixed address, wore no shoes, appeared to have a black eye and smiled as he sat in the dock at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court this morning. He was clean shaven and has shoulder-length brown hair.

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The court heard Mr Hammond was previously diagnosed with ADHD and has “possible delusional disorder”, “possible autism spectrum disorder” and has been prescribed Ritalin.

The 27-year-old nodded when he was told he will be remanded in custody to appear again on September 16.

The court heard prosecutors will go over CCTV footage, and a forensic analysis of Ms Herron’s body will be carried out.

Mr Hammond, who turns 28 on Wednesday, lists himself as single on a number of different social media profiles.

His profiles indicate he has fathered two children and spent time overseas after the birth of his second child.

Mr Hammond’s lawyer Bernie Balmer told 9 News his client had been caught up in a “very tragic and complicated situation”.

Ms Herron was found by dog walkers in near Elliot Avenue about 9.15am Saturday.

Homicide squad Detective Inspector Andrew Stamper said there appeared to have been some attempts made to conceal her body.

“The level of violence involved here was extreme in my view,” he told reporters on Sunday. “This was a particularly, particularly horrendous attack.”

The exact cause of death was yet to be determined, and police do not believe Ms Herron’s death was sexually motivated.

“Homicide Squad detectives arrested and interviewed the 27-year-old on Sunday and charged him overnight with one count of murder,” Victoria Police said in a statement this morning.

Inspector Stamper said Ms Herron had been couch surfing and sleeping rough, as well as struggling with drug and mental health issues.

The last confirmed sighting of the 25-year-old was on May 14 at St Albans when she was in contact with police.

Ms Herron tried to call her former boyfriend Terrick Edwards shortly before she was killed, according to The Age. Mr Edwards’ sister said he felt responsible for “not being able to offer her a safe place” to stay.

Ms Herron attended Fitzroy Community School and lived at nearby Northcote, in Melbourne’s north, before struggling to find secure accommodation.

Her friends have remembered her as a young woman with a smile that could light up a room, saying she had a heart of gold, according to 9 News.

One of her former teachers expressed deep sadness at hearing of Ms Herron’s death, saying she was shocked to hear Ms Herron had been homeless.

“It horrifies me to think of her last terrifying moments, and being alone,” she said.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews yesterday said more was required to protect women from being attacked.

“This is a terrible tragedy,” he said.

“This is not about the way women behave, this is not about where women are at what hour.”

In an interview with the ABC, a coach from nearby North Park Tennis Club said the discovery of Ms Herron’s body was “confronting”.

“It’s very bad … it’s pretty confronting,” tennis coach Gabriel Moise said. “It is fairly dark in the morning. When I open up here (at the tennis courts), it’s pitch black.”

The park where Ms Herron was found is 1.6km from Princes Park, where aspiring comedian Eurydice Dixon’s body was found on June 12 last year.

A number of women have been killed and dumped on Melbourne’s streets since Ms Dixon’s rape and murder.

Aiia Maasarwe, 21, an exchange student, was killed after disembarking from a tram as she made her way home alone after going to a comedy show with friends.

Her body was found in shrubs about 50m from a tram stop near La Trobe University on January 15. Codey Herrmann was charged with her rape and murder three days later.

Geelong woman Natalina Angok, 32, was killed last month. Her body was discovered in a Chinatown alleyway in Melbourne’s CBD on April 24.

Christopher Bell, the victim’s boyfriend, was charged with her murder.