The story of the "shovel man" has been the talk of Mount Macedon. Credit:Jason South He was carrying a shovel. Since then the story of "the shovel man" has been doing the rounds at dinner parties in Mount Macedon. What happened that night is said to have rattled the motorist so much he would later report it to local police. On Monday, after police announced they had found a body in the area, since confirmed to be missing Melbourne mother Karen Ristevski, the man drove to the scene to recount the episode again, this time to homicide detectives.

The area near Mount Macedon where the body was found on Monday. Credit:Simon Schluter Before he was ushered away from media, the middle-aged man wearing business clothes said that the person he had seen carrying the shovel had "expressionless" eyes. The man has been asked not to talk publicly, but even before the body was discovered and there was any connection to Ms Ristevski, the tale had been circulating around the small community. A Macedon motel owner, who did not want to be named, said he had encouraged the witness to go to Gisborne police, after he recounted his experience over lunch the next day. "A friend of mine said that he'd seen this man walking out of the bush carrying a shovel. It was close to midnight," the motel owner said.

"The guy walked straight into his lights and he put the window down and jokingly said 'where did you bury the body'? "It was really uncomfortable the way he reacted. "The guy looked at him and didn't say anything. He just looked at him with a stone face." The encounter was apparently so startling, it prompted the driver to wind up the window and reverse away. "One of the things that was really strange was that there was a house nearby. He expected him to walk back to the house, but he didn't. He just turned and walked away back into the bush.

"This guy [the motorist] is a fair strapping lad, he's a big guy, so it would take a bit to frighten him. "He just thought it was super creepy." A Victoria Police spokeswoman said police would not comment on the reported sighting. "The investigation remains active and ongoing. We will not be providing a running commentary on the case," she said. Ms Ristevski was last seen at her Avondale Heights home about 10am on June 29 after an argument with her husband, Borce Ristevski.

Loading Mr Ristevski's lawyer on Wednesday named him as the "number one suspect" for his wife's murder. Police are urging anyone with information in relation to the disappearance of Karen Ristevski is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.