By Riley Walter and Perry Duffin
A man with shattered ankles has been found dead in the garden bed of an inner west apartment tower. A dozen floors above, a woman’s body was riddled with stab wounds.
Police are yet to confirm what happened in the Burwood unit-turned-crime-scene early on Monday morning, but suspect it could be the latest horrific case of fatal domestic violence.
Strike Force Trophins has been launched after two bodies were found at the Burwood Grand building.Credit: Edwina Pickles
Strike Force Trophins has been established to investigate the deaths, with police still piecing together key details including the identities of the man and woman and their relationship.
The man and woman are described as being of Asian appearance aged in their 20s or 30s.
Police were called to the courtyard of the Burwood Grand building on the corner of Conder Street and Belmore Street just after 8.45am on Monday and found the man’s body. Police are investigating whether he jumped from the building.
Police discovered the woman’s body with multiple stab wounds, along with the suspected murder weapon, after CCTV showed her walking towards a unit in the building.
Emergency services had been called to the Burwood building to conduct a welfare check.Credit: Edwina Pickles
Superintendent Christine McDonald said police were still working to establish whether the incident was domestic violence-related.
Emergency services had been called to the building to conduct a welfare check.
“What I can say is violence against any person is not, and will not, be tolerated,” she said.
McDonald said police would keep “all lines of inquiry open” but there was no suggestion from police that they were hunting anybody else.
Superintendent Christine McDonald said whether the man had jumped from the building was a line of inquiry.Credit: Edwina Pickles
Crime scenes were established where each of the bodies was found, and police spent Monday afternoon going in and out of the unit complex, some carrying specialised cameras and brown paper evidence bags.
A police tent was set up below balconies near the Belmore Street end of the complex. Residents in neighbouring buildings watched from their windows.
The building, which is located next to the Masonic Temple, is in the heart of Burwood’s high street shopping area.
A resident told Nine News the building was typically quiet.
“We didn’t hear anything like noise or fighting before this incident happened,” Steven Jiang said.
Homicide squad detectives and officers from Burwood Police Area Command and South West Metropolitan Region will make up Strike Force Trophins, which is continuing investigations into the deaths.
Police urged anyone with information about the deaths to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at www.nsw.crimestoppers.com.au.
If you or anyone you know needs support, you can contact the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service on 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732), Lifeline 131 114, or Beyond Blue 1300 224 636. The men’s referral service is on 1300 766 491.
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