‘Very violent’: Police expect to charge husband with murder after Sydney woman found dead

Police expect to lay a murder charge later on Wednesday after the “very violent” killing of a mother of five in Sydney.

A Sydney mother has been killed while an apprehended violence order was in place.

Police discovered the body of Kholoud Bakkour at a home in the suburb of Belmore about 8am on Wednesday.

Her husband, Terrance Howot, was arrested about 30km away a short time later.

Campsie police area Superintendent Sheridan Waldau confirmed the incident was being investigated as domestic violence-related.

Kholoud Bakkour was found dead in her Belmore unit on Wednesday morning. Picture: Facebook

Forensics combed over the scene after Ms Bakkour’s body was discovered. Picture: NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

“Crime scene (police) are investigating and it does look like it is a very violent murder scene,” she told media on Wednesday afternoon.

“We expect that he will be charged with murder later on this afternoon.

“We expect that we will have more answers later this afternoon.”

Terrance Howot is expected to be charged on Wednesday. Picture: Supplied

Police forced their way into the Knox St apartment to discover the body of the mother of five after a triple-0 call from a family member from a separate location.

Ms Bakkour is believed to be aged in her 30s. Mr Howot is 35 years old.

Superintendent Waldau said there was an apprehended violence order in place “which was in force until February 2025”.

Wellwishers brought flowers to the scene on Wednesday. Picture: NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

Superintendent Sheridan Waldau described the incident as ‘very violent’. Picture: NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

The man in custody had “minimal interactions” with police in the past year, Superintendent Waldau said.

Mr Howot was arrested in the suburb of Denham Court a short time later.

He was taken to Campbeltown Police Station where police said he was co-operating.

According to the Australian Femicide Map database, Ms Bakkour is the 98th female killed by violence in this country this year.