Sisters believed to be foreign nationals lay dead in Canterbury unit for over a month

Police have revealed one tragic reason why no-one checked on two sisters who lay dead inside their Canterbury apartment complex for a month before being discovered.

Two sisters who moved to Australia together lay dead and decomposing inside their Sydney unit for more than a month-and-a-half, because it was not unusual for them to have little contact with family.

NSW Police have confirmed the bodies of the 23-year-old and 24-year-old sisters were found in separate bedrooms of their apartment on Canterbury Rd in Canterbury, in the city’s southwest, early on Tuesday morning.

It was officers from the Sheriffs Department who made the grim discovery after being called in by the building manager to do a welfare check on the pair as they had not only failed to pay rent for several months.

An overflowing mailbox and bundle of parcels at their door also had the building manager concerned.

It is understood there was no sign of forced entry into the apartment while because of the condition of their bodies and the length of time they are believed to have been inside the unit, a cause of their deaths is yet to be confirmed.

Investigators take away one of the bodies found in the Canterbury apartment building. Picture: Damian Shaw

Investigators are hoping an autopsy, set to be carried out on Thursday, may provide some answers.

Burwood Police Area Detective Inspector Claudia Allcroft said police are treating the deaths as suspicious, but admitted officers were “still in the infancy of the investigation”.

“At this stage it appears to be suspicious,” said Inspector Allcroft on Wednesday morning.

Inspector Allcroft also confirmed there is no sign of injury “at this stage”.

Police believe the women are foreign internationals, but said “we don’t have all the answers at this stage”.

“It‘s a very tragic scene when we go to any deceased persons let alone two sisters who are deceased and unfortunately at this stage, we don’t know why,” Insp Allcroft said.

Police pictured preparing to enter the building where bodies of two women were found. Picture: Damian Shaw

Police were called to the unit on Canterbury Rd in Canterbury about 9.30am on Tuesday to reports of concern for the welfare of the sisters.

Residents of the Canterbury apartment building were shocked to hear the news of the bodies discovered on Tuesday.

Occupants of Block B left for work on Wednesday morning, not knowing what had evolved the day prior.

“No way, this is a safe place,” said one resident on his way to the train station after being stopped and told of the news.

“Oh my god, that sounds really f***ing bad,” said another resident, gasping with her hand over her mouth after being informed of the bodies discovered.

The sisters were found in apartment building on the corner of Canterbury Road on Tuesday. Picture: Damian Shaw

A third occupant, Tamy, said the first she had heard of the bodies was on the television the night before, despite working from home during the day.

“I saw the police cars at night,” she said.

“It’s very quiet here so it was pretty unusual to find out something like this had happened.”

Kim, a mother of two and occupant of a unit on level four, said she was left “shaking” after being told about the two women.

“It’s very scary stuff. I have two girls, I don’t want them to know much about it,” she said.

The women’s bodies were found in separate rooms. Picture: Damian Shaw

Investigators at the apartment building. Picture: Damian Shaw

Night shift worker, Mohammad, said he “was really sad” to hear about and also completely unaware of the police investigation.

It is understood the concern for the pair’s welfare was made by the building manager of the units, which sit above a shopfront on the busy road, who called police after noticing a build-up of mail and parcel deliveries at their front door.

Once inside the flat officers found the somewhat decomposed bodies of the sisters.

Detectives attached to Burwood Police Area Command set up the initial crime scene and have since been joined at the site by Homicide Squad detectives and specialist forensic police.

Police are expecting to have the crime scene cordoned off until later this week, as they wait for the return of forensic material that may help them determine a cause of death — and if the State Crime Command Homicide Squad are required to take over.

It was an eerie scene outside the unit block on Tuesday, where residents were seen by their apartment windows watching on as crime scene services arrived in preparation for a clean-up.

Officers bring equipment into the scene. Picture: Damian Shaw

Plastic covering has since been placed over the first floor window but forensic police movements were still visible late on Tuesday night.

Apartment resident Alan Ho, 30, said he was disturbed after hearing the news.

“It’s usually a pretty tame area so it’s pretty concerning to hear about something like this.”

Officers spent the night not only canvassing the flat for evidence, but also interviewing neighbours and checking their electronic devices for potentially crucial clues.

Family of the two women are also set to be contacted by police, as they attempt to make a formal identification of the victims.

Police are calling for anyone who has information that could assist detectives in their investigations to attend Burwood Police Station or phone Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.