A young man was murdered within hours of his last sighting, documents allege, as his accused killer faced court for the first time.

Brandon Watts, 28, briefly appeared in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Monday after being charged with the murder of 23-year-old Joshua Bishop.

Watts did not apply for bail and is expected to next face court on September 22.

A charge sheet alleges the Sunbury man murdered Bishop between May 27 and 28, shortly after he went missing.

Bishop was last seen by his housemate on Lalor Crescent in Sunbury, in the city’s north-west, about 9.30pm on May 27.

He was reported missing by his mother on May 29, after he failed to access his phone or bank accounts.

Weeks after his disappearance, Bishop’s parents made an emotional plea for their son’s return, urging anyone with information to come forward.

They described the disappearance as completely out of character.

After previous extensive searches, police raided a home in the quiet suburb of Westmeadows on Saturday where they made the grim discovery.

The Erinbank Crescent townhouse is near where his phone last pinged around Broadmeadows Valley Park.

The remains are yet to be formally identified but a close friend who organised a fundraiser on behalf of the family acknowledged they belonged to Bishop.

Missing persons detectives earlier declared Bishop had no criminal link. His connection to the accused was not revealed in court.

-AAP