Australian chef who cooked wife claimed he was making pig's broth

Australian chef Marcus Volke, who allegedly killed, dismembered and then cooked parts of his transgender wife's body told an electrician that he was cooking pig's broth, Australian media reported on Wednesday.

According to 9News, Volke had called electrician Brad Coyne to report a problem.

In a recording, a man believed to be Volke said: "The stock pot boiled over and dripped down and got into the oven and basically made this big bang and then all my power turned off."

But when Coyne arrived at the apartment Volke shared with his wife, Mayang Prasetyo, Volke told him not to worry about the foul stench and that he was cooking pig's broth.

More details have also emerged about Volke, 28, who killed himself shortly after fleeing from police.

According to The Courier-Mail, the 28-year-old had advertised himself in Copenhagen, Denmark as a male prostitute. The description used in the advertisement was: "Young, sexy Australian boy, very friendly and easy going, discreet and professional."

Ms Prasetyo is believed to have also worked in the sex industry as sex worker charging up to A$500 (S$558) an hour for her services.

Volke did not have a criminal record, but an old school friend said: "He was always a little different. He wasn't happy-go-lucky like the rest of us. He was a bit dark," news website news.com.au reported.

Mr Volke had met Ms Prasetyo on a cruise ship where they were both working as chefs, and the couple had gotten married in Aug 2013.

Ms Prasetyo had used the profits she made from her sex work to help her two sisters in Indonesia through school.

Police had first gone to the apartment the couple lived in on Oct 5, after neighbours had complained of a foul stench.

When they arrived, Volke reportedly fled the scene and took his own life while hiding on a nearby street.

Parts of Ms Prasetyo's body were found strewn around the apartment, and other parts were found in garbage bins outside.

seanyap@sph.com.sg