A 48-year-old man has appeared in a Perth court charged with the murders of two women in Claremont in the 1990s.

The deaths of three women, who disappeared from the upmarket Perth suburb over 14 months between 1996 and 1997, sparked Australia's longest-running and most expensive police investigation.

Bradley Robert Edwards has been charged with the abduction and murder of Jane Rimmer, 23, and Ciara Glennon, 27.

A third woman who disappeared in the same period, Sarah Spiers, remains missing.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 4 minutes 48 seconds 4 m 48 s Police commissioner Karl O'Callaghan announces charges over the Claremont serial killings.

Edwards showed little emotion as he appeared in the Perth Magistrates Court on Friday morning.

His lawyer said Edwards understood the charges.

He was remanded in custody and is due to reappear on January 11.

Ms Rimmer disappeared after a night out with friends in 1996. Her body was discovered in bushland at Wellard on August 3 of that year.

Ms Glennon, 27, disappeared on March 14, 1997, after she had also had a night out in Claremont. Her body was found in bushland in Eglington, north of Perth.

Perth teenager Sarah Spiers, who disappeared after leaving Club Bay View in Claremont on January 27, 1996, remains missing. Her body has never been found.

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The man has also been charged in relation to attacks on other women, including two counts of deprivation of liberty, two counts of aggravated sexual penetration without consent, one count of breaking and entering and one count of indecent assault.

The commissioner said police would allege he abducted a 17-year-old girl as she walked through a park in 1995 and took her to a nearby cemetery where he sexually assaulted her.

He is also alleged to have entered the bedroom of an 18-year-old girl in 1988, and attacked her while she slept. He fled after she struggled.

Commissioner O'Callaghan said it would be alleged the man acted alone.

Flowers were left outside the Claremont Hotel with a note reading: "Rest in power". ( ABC News: Hayley Roman )

Police 'never gave up' on Claremont case

Commissioner O'Callaghan said the decades-long investigation had been the largest in the state's history.

WA Police commissioner Karl O'Callaghan says the the case involved hundreds of police officers. ( ABC News: Riley Stuart )

"I should point out that the investigation into the disappearance and suspected murder of Sarah Spiers on January 27, 1996, is ongoing, as are inquiries into other matters," he said.

"So there is still much work to be done, but this has already been the biggest and most complex police investigation in WA history.

"Hundreds of police officers have worked on this case over the 20 years.

"Operation Macro has been a massive body of work involving thousands and thousands of investigative actions.

"The commitment of the WA police and its officers have never waivered. We never gave up.

"I want to pay tribute to the Sarah Spiers, Ciara Glennon and Jane Rimmer families and the victim of the 1995 attack for their patience and understanding during the investigation."

WA Premier Colin Barnett said the "brutal" killings had heavily impacted Perth.

"Parents were worried perpetually about their daughters, and other young women in the area," he said.

He praised the efforts of officers in bringing charges in the case.

"The events of the last few hours … is something that has taken 20 years," he said.

"I'd like to congratulate the police for their persistence and never giving up."