Man arrested suspected domestic violence-related killing in Northern Territory

A man has been arrested following the death of a 22-year-old woman, marking the second suspected domestic violence killing in the NT town in just over two months.

A second woman a Northern Territory town has been killed in a suspected domestic violence killing in just over two months.

Police were called to O’Shea Terrace in Katherine about 9.10pm on Monday following reports of a distressed man.

Officers found a 22-year-old woman nearby on arrival and performed CPR.

However the woman was pronounced dead by St John Ambulance shortly after.

The 36-year-old partner of the victim has been arrested in connection to the death, though charges are yet to be laid.

A crime scene was established and detectives have urged anyone with information to come forward.

It follows the death of a 36-year-old woman in Katherine in July.

The woman’s male partner has been arrested. Picture: NCA Newswire / Gaye Gerard

The woman died on July 16, with a 45-year-old man expected to front Darwin Local Court on July 31 over a string of charges including recklessly endangering life, intending serious harm, and causing any harm.

Detective Senior Sergeant Jon Beer at the time said police were “confident that a serious act of domestic violence was committed on the night of 11 July 2024”, urging people affected by domestic violence to reach out to 1800 RESPECT or Lifeline.

Katherine Women’s Information and Legal Service chief executive Siob­han Mackay told NT News there is a “staggering rate” of domestic violence in Katherine.

“We’re at crisis levels in Katherine,” Ms Mackay said.

“You look at the court list and only a handful of cases are not related to domestic violence.”

The death marks the 62nd Australian woman lost to predominantly male violence in 2024 according to Sherele Moody’s femicide watch.

Findings from a coronial inquest into domestic violence in the Northern Territory are set to be handed down on November 25.

The proceedings have uncovered domestic violence accounts for between 50 and 80 per cent of the Northern Territory Police Force’s workload, according to The Guardian.

Domestic violence deaths were also seven times higher in the territory in 2021 compared to the national average, while Aboriginal women were 40 times more likely to be hospitalised over domestic violence incidents.

Originally published as Man arrested suspected domestic violence-related killing in Northern Territory