Mr Romeo, 43, vanished five months ago, on February 10, after telling his parents he was going to visit some associates in Greenvale, Melbourne's north.
His phone and bank cards have not been used since then and police are yet to find the 2004 gold Toyota Camry he was driving, nor his body, following an extensive search.
Adrian Romeo was driving a gold Toyota Camry when he was last seen. (HANDOUT/VICTORIA POLICE)
Robert Mantini was arrested on Thursday night and charged with murder over Mr Romeo's disappearance.
He is charged with killing Mr Romeo in Greenvale, court documents stated.
The 58-year-old appeared in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Friday afternoon.
Mantini appeared in the court dock and, as no application for bail can be made in the lower court, he will be held in custody until his next court appearance on December 13.
Bail applications must be made through the Supreme Court due to the nature of the charge.
It follows a search of a Greenvale property involving the dog squad, major crime scene investigators, the State Emergency Service, Australian Federal Police's specialist forensic search team and the NSW Police Force cadaver dogs.
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