Accused wife killer Adam Cureton dies in Sydney prison without trial

Adam Cureton was accused by police of murdering his wife Sabah Hafiz, but it can be revealed he has died in his prison cell at Silverwater.

A Sydney man accused of brutally murdering his wife has died in a jail cell from a suspected heart attack before the police case against him could be dealt with in court.

Former demolition worker Adam Cureton was arrested by police in Maroubra last October about 24 hours after the body of aspiring model Sabah Hafiz was found in their Wentworthville unit.

Ms Hafiz – only 23 when she died – had been badly assaulted and no weapon had been used in the attack, authorities said at the time.

Sabah Hafiz, 23, was found dead inside the Wentworthville unit she shared with her partner. Picture: StarNow

Her shattered father had attended the property where his daughter had died and spoke briefly to detectives before leaving with another of his daughters who comforted him.

Police charged Cureton, 25, with Hafiz’s murder, but magistrate Peter Feather was recently told in Parramatta Local Court that he had died while behind bars on remand.

Mr Feather then formally dismissed the proceedings.

Adam Cureton (left) died on remand after being charged with the murder of his wife Sabah Hafiz

Cureton’s sister Alicia told The Daily Telegraph this week that prison officers had told her that he may have died from a heart attack while being held at Silverwater jail.

“They basically just said he had passed in his sleep sometime earlier in the morning, they thought it was a heart attack,” she said.

“He went in at 70kg and when he died he was 130, nearly 150 … my brother was in the mental health part of the jail, the medication he was on can cause you to put on weight.”

Ms Cureton said she did not believe her brother would have suicided and that he had been in good spirits in the days before he died.

“It wasn’t suicide … there is a chance, but it’s more likely it was accidental, all I know was he was on heavy medication – anti psychotics – but at the same time I’ve been told he was taking other people‘s medication … he was trying to numb himself, pretty much,” she said.

A Corrective Services NSW spokeswoman confirmed officers found Cureton unresponsive in his cell last June.

“He was found unresponsive in his cell at approximately 7.35am before he was pronounced dead at 8.35am,” she said.

“Corrective Services NSW and NSW Police are investigating the incident.

“All deaths in custody are subject to a coronial inquest.”

Ms Hafiz’s father had sad she had a sweet personality.

“She was a good girl,” he said.

Ms Hafiz wanted to be a model and said in an online profile that she “enjoyed being spontaneous”.

“I’m trying to get experience in this field and if I do get paid, that’s great too. It’s something I never thought about doing, but I do enjoy being spontaneous and trying new hobbies from time to time so yeah, really keen to do this,” she wrote.

Originally published as Accused wife killer Adam Cureton dies in Sydney prison without trial