A sharp-eyed Merimbula businessman played a key role in the capture and arrest of a suspect wanted for a brutal Melbourne murder. 

The man, who does not wish to be indentified, happened to be driving back from Melbourne on Monday at about 1.30pm, when he noticed the suspect hitchhiking along the road and immediately called police. The Merimbula man had earlier seen news reports in Melbourne which included a photograph of the suspect.

Scott Allen Miller, a 42-year-old itinerant was arrested in Eden on Monday afternoon at 3.30pm.

Officers were on high alert after reports of Miller being sighted nearby, were received earlier in the day.

Acting Inspector Clifton Scarlett of Merimbula Police said: “We received a call earlier today that a male matching this man’s description was sighted about 46km south of Eden,” Acting Inspector Scarlett said.

“Police were dispatched to that location, but they were unable to locate the male.”

At around 3pm on Monday afternoon two off-duty Eden Police officers sighted the suspect asleep on rocks at Snug Cove.

“It was very good work by the two officers,” said Acting Inspector Scarlett.

Miller was held in custody before being transported to Batemans Bay where he faced court on Tuesday morning, 1 July. He was then extradited to Melbourne.

Magistrate Doug Dick approved the extradition of Miller, who is to be remanded in the custody of two Victorian Police officers, Nathan Toohey and Luke Farrell, from the St Kilda Police homicide squad. He is due to appear in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on July 2.

A nationwide search was launched for Miller after the body of a 32-year-old Chinese woman was found in Kings Domain parkland early on Saturday, June 28.

Police have confirmed that the woman was both physically and sexually assaulted, and it is believed she was on her way to work when she was approached and chased across St Kilda Road into the Botanical Gardens at around 5.20am that day.

Although Miller was not believed to have a history of violence, he is known to WA Police, who have been assisting their Victorian counterparts with the investigation.

It is understood Miller had been sleeping on the streets of Melbourne for at least six weeks, and was known to police.

Shortly before confirming the arrest, police released CCTV footage of Miller walking with another man along Swanston Street and then up towards the Carlton Club hotel on Bourke Street about 1.50am on Saturday, June 28. It is understood the pair were not known to each other. On Monday evening, police said the other man in the CCTV footage had made contact and had been interviewed at St Kilda Road police station, but was not a suspect.