NT Police charge woman with alleged murder in Darwin’s CBD

A 31-year-old woman is set to appear in Darwin Local Court today in relation to an alleged bloody brawl in the Top End’s CBD.

NT Police have charged a woman with the alleged murder of a 28-year-old woman in Darwin’s party district.

Officers said a 31-year-old woman was arrested on Tuesday night and has since been charged with murder, intended serious harm, and causing any harm.

It is understood she will appear in Darwin Local Court on Thursday.

Detective Senior Sergeant Paul Morrissey said police were investigating an alleged assault on Mitchell St. Picture: Sierra Haigh

Detective Senior Sergeant Paul Morrissey said police were notified of an alleged fight involving three women that started on Knuckey St at 8.20pm.

It is understood the women – a 28-year-old, a 33-year-old and 31-year-old – knew each other, with a group of people surrounding them.

“Police conducted reviews of their CCTV systems in the area and were able to identify an altercation involving the two ladies on Knuckey St, around the corner from where they were located,” he said.

Sergeant Morrissey said the 28-year-old and 33-year-old suffered cuts and “lacerations” consistent with a knife and were taken to Royal Darwin Hospital.

He said the 28-year-old woman later died as a result of her injuries and he believed the 33-year-old had been discharged from RDH.

Sergeant Morrissey said police had “a lot of material to review” and an autopsy on the 28-year-old would be carried out on Wednesday afternoon.

“Investigations are in their early stages as detectives work to understand the circumstances of the assault,” he said.

Crime scene clean-up crews were in operation on Wednesday morning, spraying down the bloody smears from the alleged brawl.

Crime scene clean-up crews cleared away blood splatters on Mitchell St and Knuckey St following an alleged fatal brawl on Tuesday, December 20. Picture: Sierra Haigh

Red splatters trailed from Monsoons down Mitchell St and around the corner onto Knuckey St.

Sergeant Morrissey called on any witnesses to contact police on 131 444, quoting the reference number 10208537.

Monsoons bartender Keeleigh Potts was working on Tuesday night when security came in asking for the first aid kit.

“Security advised us that a guy who was on the street walking his dog came up and asked us for the first aid kit,” Ms Potts said.

“He said you need something, like really bad.”

Blood spatter on the footpath on Mitchell St near the corner of Nuttall St in the Darwin CBD. A woman suffered serious injuries and was taken to Royal Darwin Hospital in a critical condition where she later died on December 20, 2022. Picture: Sierra Haigh

Ms Potts said Territory Protective Services security guards were the first at the scene and tried to help the women.

“There were two girls, one was obviously just like injured, and the other one was really bad,” Ms Potts said.

“There was a lot of blood.”

Ms Potts said those allegedly involved in the fatal assault were not Monsoon’s customers.