A former elite police officer allegedly murdered by two men in Melbourne has been remembered as a “beautiful” son and a talented boxer.

Dean McGrath’s body was discovered at a factory in Braeside on Friday morning after one of the accused killers came forward to police.

Mr McGrath, 41, was a former officer in the Victoria Police Special Operations Group, which responds to major incidents.

His accused killers, David Grierson, 45, and Craig Marshall, 47, faced Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Saturday and did not apply for bail.

It’s alleged they murdered Mr McGrath at Braeside on Wednesday.

The shaggy-haired Mr Grierson appeared in a T-shirt with a picture of a pint of beer on it, contrasting with Mr Marshall who wore a black top with his hair neatly cropped.

It’s understood Mr McGrath, a former amateur boxer, suffered post-traumatic stress disorder and quit the police force in 2010.

His parents and other supporters were present at the hearing on Saturday, his mother weeping at times.

Outside court she said her son was a “beautiful boy”.

A factory worker, Russell Schmidt, said the parents had been at the Braeside industrial estate on Thursday night, shouting their son’s name.

Mr Schmidt said the father was looking for his son, who had failed to return home after phoning his wife to say he was on his way.

“The old man wandered over to me with tears in his eyes and said his son’s name,” he told AAP.

“‘(He said) ‘My son is a machine … He was always the first one out of the helicopter’.”

Tributes have flowed on social media or Mr McGrath, who was remembered as a talented athlete.

“Condolences to the McGrath family on their loss. Dean was a much-loved boxer,” Scott Bindloss posted on Facebook.

“RIP Deano,” Roy Corteste wrote. “Watched you grow up in to a fine young man.”

Mr Grierson, of Braeside, and Mr Marshall, of Rosebud, will return to court on May 23.

— AAP