Stand-up comics have rallied in support of the family of an aspiring young comedian found dead on a Melbourne sports field.

Eurydice Dixon, 22, had performed a show at CBD venue Highlander Bar on Tuesday night, just before she was killed, Fairfax media reported.

Her body was found by a passer-by at 3am on Wednesday at a Carlton North soccer field.

Jaymes Todd, 19, from Broadmeadows, appeared in Melbourne Magistrate Court on Thursday charged with rape and murder, after handing himself into police on Wednesday night.

He has been remanded in custody until October.

Comedian Julia Morris took to Twitter to express her shock.

“I am absolutely shattered to hear of the despicable death of Eurydice Dixon,” she wrote.

“Our comedy community is like a family and this news is beyond heart breaking. My deepest condolences go to her family and friends. An important and funny voice has been extinguished. Vale Eurydice Dixon.”

Meanwhile, supporters turned to a crowd funding platform to raise funds to donate to Ms Dixon’s family.

The Go Fund Me page, set up by Luka Muller, has raised more than $10,750 in 15 hours, already surpassing its $1500 goal.

Comedians including Cal Wilson, Anne Edmonds and Celia Pacquola are among those to have made pledges.

Others who knew Ms Dixon took to social media to express their shock.

Neal Portenza said he was “absolutely devastated”.

“I don’t really have any proper thoughts or words. We barely knew each other but your Facebook posts genuinely made me laugh out loud and I’m glad I got the chance to tell you in person during the Comedy Festival,” he wrote on Facebook.

“I’m left feeling completely numb.”

Claudia Long tweeted: “Eurydice was a kind and funny person, this is a tragedy and my heart is broken.”

Meanwhile, Nelly Thomas called for an end to “terrorism on women”.

“RIP dear girl and may the rest of us mourn this terrible loss and then STEP THE F— UP to stop this terrorism on women. What else can one say,” she said on Twitter.

Police are yet to formally identify the victim.

-AAP