Man charged over 2011 death of Woonona woman Valmai Birch
A man has been charged in relation to the death of Valmai Birch, who was found stuffed in a wheelie bin at a Woonona home in 2011.
Illawarra Star
Don't miss out on the headlines from Illawarra Star. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Man faces court after dramatic four-hour siege
- Woman ‘feared for her life’ in 2014 Fairy Meadow Beach ‘rape’
Police have charged the former boyfriend of Valmai Birch, who was found stuffed inside a wheelie bin in her apartment near Wollongong in 2011.
The 52-year-old was arrested at his Kiama home and charged with manslaughter, more than eight years after Ms Birch’s remains were found in a wheelie bin inside her Woonona apartment. A Homicide Squad investigation began after Ms Birch’s neighbours reported a foul odour coming from her unit on Woods Ave, Woonona about 10pm on Monday, March 22, 2011. Officers attended the apartment and found the 34-year-old woman’s body stuffed inside a large, domestic style wheelie bin that had been left in the bathroom.
Ms Birch’s 52-year-old de facto partner at the time of her death was a suspect, but was not charged.
His arrest at a home in Kiama this morning came after Strike Force Gareth investigators, including local Wollongong detectives, referred their brief of evidence to the Office Director of Public Prosecutions.
Acting Superintendent for the Homicide Squad Detective Jason Dickinson on Tuesday confirmed Ms Birch had been in “volatile” relationship with the man charged over her death.
“The man was known to Valmai, they had been in a previous domestic relationship, and that relationship was just under a year old,” he said.
“I can indicate at the time of the offence they were estranged from each other although were still in contact and associating.”
Acting Superintendent Dickinson said there was a history of domestic violence between the pair, and that the 52-year-old had been on the police radar for sometime.
“He was somebody that was known to us from the beginning,” he said.
“He was a formerly in a relationship with her so from early in the piece this person was in the inquiry.”
While Ms Birch’s body was found on March 22, the last confirmed sighting of the 34-year-old was on March 9, when she was scene “not too far” from her Woonona unit.
While it’s taken eight years for someone to be charged over Ms Birch’s death, Acting Superintendent Dickinson said her family were “very pleased” with today’s arrest.
The man is expected to front Wollongong Local Court this afternoon.