Two men charged over Tao Cheng’s ‘suspicious’ stairwell death in Sydney hotel

Police have charged two men after the “suspicious” death of a 25-year-old, whose body was found in a Sydney CBD hotel stairwell.

A Google Maps street view of Kent St in Sydney CBD where the hotel is located.

Two men have been charged with murder after police probed the ‘suspicious’ death of a 25-year-old foreign national who was found in a Sydney hotel stairwell.

About 3pm on Wednesday, December 7, emergency services were called out to a hotel on Kent St in Sydney CBD over concerns for a man’s welfare.

Officers from Sydney City Police Area Command (PAC) attended and found the lifeless body of a man in the stairwell of the premises.

The deceased man was later identified as Tao Cheng – a 25-year-old Chinese national.

A crime scene was established and Strike Force Feyer was launched with officers from the Sydney City PAC to investigate the mystery death.

Tao Cheng was found dead in a Sydney hotel stairwell.

Detectives were assisted by the State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad to probe what they believe were ‘suspicious’ circumstances surrounding Mr Cheng’s final moments.

Investigators believe the 25-year-old foreign national entered the hotel stairwell about 9pm on Sunday, December 4.

Following initial inquiries and a public appeal, detectives arrested a 27-year-old man at a licensed venue on Beamish St in Campsie last Friday, December 16.

He was taken to Campsie Police Station and charged with murder.

After fronting court, the man was formally refused bail and is due to appear at Downing Centre Local Court on February 16 next year.

About 11.15am on December 20, a second man was arrested in Queensland, with the help of the Queensland Police Service, in relation to Mr Cheng’s death.

The 25-year-old was taken from Stradbroke Island to Brisbane City Watch House where was he charged by virtue of a NSW arrest warrant for murder.

On Wednesday, Strike Force investigators flew to Queensland and extradited the man to Mascot Police Station in Sydney where he was charged with murder.

He was refused bail to appear at Parramatta Local Court on Friday.