A stepdad accused of murdering a missing schoolgirl and dumping her body in a barrel was arrested in a grimy government-owned unit in one of Sydney's trendiest inner city suburbs.
Justin Stein, 31, was tracked down to a housing commission block in Surry Hills, after police uncovered nine-year-old Charlise Mutten's remains in bushland by the side of the Colo River 100km away on Tuesday night.
His arrest and subsequent murder charge signified the end of a five-day search for the youngster, who was reported missing from his family's multi million-dollar estate at Mount Wilson, in the Blue Mountains, at 8.20am on Friday.
It is unclear whether Stein, who comes from a wealthy family, lived in the public housing building or was staying with a friend.
He was escorted out of the building on Tuesday evening in a grey Everlast hoodie and handcuffs.
31-year-old Justin Stein faced a Sydney court on Wednesday morning, charged with murder
Nine-year-old Charlise Mutten was last seen on Thursday but was reported missing on Friday morning
Stein was arrested at an apartment in Surry Hills on Tuesday night (pictured)
A wheelchair with an IV stand was parked on one floor, surrounded by a shelf and wire framing
When a Daily Mail Australia reporter was invited into the building, a government worker warned: 'Be careful in here - I've been working with the people who live here for a long time, and they're not all friendly.'
A resident said he was at work when police stormed the building, but said 'I don't talk to any of my neighbours, I don't like them - they're loud.'
He also appeared concerned, and warned: 'Be careful.'
The walls of the block were heavily-stained walls and brown carpets, along with a black door festooned with hazmat and duct tape sitting in the middle of a doorway - unattached to a frame.
Some residents personalised their front doors with wire and steel frames, dream catchers, scorch marks, and signs that read 'no stupid people beyond this point' and 'danger, high voltage'.
The Surry Hills apartment block was littered with junk and old doors (pictured)
Some residents personalised their front doors with wire and steel frames, dream catchers, scorch marks, and signs that read 'no stupid people beyond this point' and 'danger, high voltage' (pictured)
The grimy public housing block has broken furniture dumped in the hallways outside units
The public housing block on Riley Street in the trendy suburb of Surry Hills is rundown and graffitied inside
A wheelchair with an IV stand from nearby St Vincent's Hospital was parked in the middle of one landing, surrounded by a shelf, bicycle, a wire frame, and broken furniture.
The tragedy unfolded when Charlise flew from the home where she lived with her grandmother in Queensland to NSW to see her mother Kallista Mutten and Stein.
While she was reported missing at about 8.20am on Friday, police sources telling Daily Mail Australia her last confirmed sighting was about Tuesday at 7pm, on January 11 - three days before a missing persons report was
