A 22-year-old man has pleaded not guilty to murdering Ballarat woman Tamara Farrell.
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Shaye Kotiau remained silent in the dock of the Ballarat Magistrates Court on Wednesday when he was asked if he would enter a plea of guilty or not guilty.
Because he stayed silent, magistrate Gregory Robinson recorded a plea of not guilty and adjourned the case to a directions hearing at the Supreme Court in Melbourne.
Kotiau was committed to stand trial following a committal hearing, which started on Tuesday.
Police allege he murdered Ms Farrell, 31, in her Canadian home on February 17 and dumped her body 300 kilometres away from Ballarat at Nambrok, near Sale.
Her remains were located days later at that location.
Police allege further remains of Ms Farrell's body were found in a bag under a bridge in Altona North in May.
On Tuesday, Shaye's sister Kieahn Kotiau pleaded guilty to concealing Ms Farrell's body in her vehicle, assisting in the disposal of her body and assisting in hiding evidentiary items.
Senior social worker Suzan Hermez, of the Werribee Mercy Hospital, conducted a mental health assessment of Shaye Kotiau in the backyard of his house at the time of his arrest.
Ms Hermez told the court Shaye had used cannabis on the day she assessed him and he was distracted, suspicious and preoccupied with police officers who were at his house.
But she said it was not the case he was psychotic, based on his biological symptoms and medical history.
"He was worried about where they (police officers) were going (in his house)," Ms Hermez said. She said Shaye was worried about the police going into his shed and looking at clothing.
The mental health clinician said she assessed Shaye for 45 minutes and he responded to the majority of questions with yes or no answers.
She said she spoke to Shaye's uncle, who told her Shaye did not have a mental health condition but she was concerned mental health disorders was present in his family.
Ms Hermez said on the same day she assessed Shaye, she supported his sister, Kieahn Kotiau,19. A police officer was present when she spoke to her.
She said Kieahn appeared anxious, fearful and was hyperventilating, and she disclosed information to her.
Ms Hermez said the purpose of the siblings visiting Ballarat was to go out.
She agreed with Kieahn's defence counsel Kieahn had gone to bed, at Ms Farrell's Canadian home, but woke up to shouting and the sound of a struggle.
Kieahn walked past a bathroom and saw something, but did not know what it was, and went back to bed.
Later, Shaye allegedly woke Kieahn and pulled her into the bathroom where she saw Ms Farrell's body. Police allege Shaye then forced his sister to drive the body away.
Ms Hermez said she did not know at the time of speaking to Kieahn she had left "with the body in the back of the car".
"Kieahn said she drove at night, she said by the time she reached home it was morning," Ms Hermez said.
At the end of Wednesday's committal hearing, the magistrate said there was evidence of sufficient weight for Shaye to stand trial on the murder charge.
Mr Robinson noted the question of Shaye's fitness to enter a plea had been raised and reserved. The Magistrates Court does not have the jurisdiction to determine an accused's fitness to enter a plea.
Shaye was remanded in custody until a directions hearing on November 6, while Kieahn was bailed with conditions she report to the Altona North Police Station and surrender any passports held.
She will also appear in the Supreme Court in Melbourne on November 6 for a directions hearing.
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