Good Samaritan killed at train station remembered as hero with a kind soul

The 22-year-old man allegedly murdered while trying to save a schoolboy from being robbed by armed teenagers has been remembered as a hero with the “purest soul”.

Aidan Becker was killed on Friday just before 6pm at Mernda station, in Melbourne’s northern suburbs, after going to the aid of a 14-year-old boy.

Police allege four teens approached the schoolboy and tried to rob him, before seriously assaulting him and pushing him to the ground.

Becker intervened, walking with the 14-year-old away from the train station, but police say the group followed the pair and beat and fatally stabbed Becker. The off-duty security guard died at the scene, despite attempts by ambulance paramedics to revive him.

Becker’s heroic efforts to protect the boy “proves the type of person he was”, friend Shanae Faralla told this masthead.

Faralla met Becker through mutual friends about six yeas ago, and described her friend as “the purest soul”.

“He was always so charismatic and optimistic about life, he truly was the happiest person to be around,” she said.

“He was kind and always checking in with me to see how I am doing. My best memories with him are in the year 2021. We would all sit on the chairs in my garage, have a couple drinks and have a laugh, singing on my karaoke machine.”

Three males, aged 16, 17 and 18, have been charged with murder and armed robbery over Becker’s death. Another 17-year-old allegedly involved remains in hospital under police guard.

Faralla said the alleged offenders should face serious consequences, as she believed “adult crime should result in adult time”.

The new adult time for violent crime laws, which came into effect at the end of February, could mean offenders face adult sentences and adult courts. The new laws cover offences including recklessly causing injury and armed robbery, and are designed to result in longer sentences for young offenders.

Faralla’s anger and grief was shared by Amber Poulter, another friend of Becker’s, who met him in 2019.

“He put everyone first in the blink of an eye,” she told this masthead. “When he saw wrong he never hesitated.

“My friends and I are genuinely sick to our stomach at the thought of any of this, it doesn’t even feel real yet.”

Poulter said she and Becker used to sit in parks with other friends and talk until they lost track of time.

Becker is the second friend Poulter has lost to knife crime in four years, and “somehow our government has not figured out a better way to handle this rapidly growing crime”, she said.

“We are slowly losing all our people to this disgusting heinous crime because they know they get away with it,” she said.

On Saturday, Whittlesea area Commander Kate O’Neil said it “really breaks my heart to think that someone was so viciously killed”.

“But I’m grateful that there are still members of the community who actually still help those in need,” O’Neill said.

Police have arrested the four teenagers they allege were responsible for the attack. Three were caught at the Mernda shopping centre a couple of hours after the fatal stabbing, and the fourth male was arrested later.

The 16-year-old and 17-year-old charged with murder and armed robbery will appear at a children’s court at a later date. The 18-year-old man, Mike Pikos, faced Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Sunday and was remanded to return in June.

According to court documents, Pikos is also accused of stealing a mobile phone and powerbank worth $500 and was allegedly in possession of a machete.

This is Pikos’ first time in custody, the court heard.

Protective services officers were scheduled to start patrolling Mernda station from 6pm on Friday, only 10 minutes after the attack. Police said on Saturday Becker’s death would not change the patrol times.

When asked about the attack at a press conference on Saturday, Victorian Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas said it was concerning.

“It’s why our government is focused on driving down crime in the state,” she said. “It’s why we banned machetes. But importantly, it’s why we’ve now introduced adult time for violent crime.”

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