Photo: © 2008 AAP/SHANNON MORRIS

While police have never had a strong enough lead to lay charges over the murder of the 22-year-old, they have always believed they knew what happened to her that night.

Sometime after midnight, Membrey is thought to have let a friend or acquaintance into her unit.

That person is believed to have killed her and then spent hours cleaning the crime scene, before driving Membrey's car down a dirt road and dumping her body.

Despite searching lakes, bushland and dozens of old mineshafts on the outskirts of Melbourne, police have never been able to locate her body.

But they now believe they have found her killer, a man who has spent years working in Western Australia's remote mining industry.

Membrey's parents last night told reporters they hope the breakthrough will help them finally lay their daughter to rest.

''We've been prevented from giving her that respect; that's a terrible tragedy to us and we find that very difficult to live with," said father Roger.

The accused will "defend the charge vigorously", his lawyer says.