Three women die in separate NSW incidents amid domestic violence concerns

Three women lost their lives in separate incidents across New South Wales, Australia, within hours of each other on Saturday, with police linking at least one case to alleged domestic violence.

At about 5.15pm, a woman in her 90s was found with stab wounds inside her unit near Bondi Beach in Sydney. Despite treatment from paramedics, she died at the scene. A 47-year-old man has been charged with her murder and is due to appear before a bail court on Sunday. Police set up a crime scene near the well-known beach as detectives investigate.

Just hours later, around 9.35pm, police responded to a reported domestic violence incident at Mole River in the state's north. Investigators believe a 37-year-old man entered a property and attempted to steal a vehicle, assaulting the 74-year-old resident. He was arrested, and while searching a neighbouring property, officers discovered the body of a woman in her 70s, who has not yet been formally identified. Part of the house had been damaged by fire. Crime scenes were established at both properties, with the homicide squad assisting the investigation.

Earlier that day, around 11.45am, a 23-year-old woman was found with critical stab wounds inside a home in Wagga Wagga in the state's south-west. She died at the scene before emergency services could save her; a man had reportedly left the property before officers arrived. An 18-year-old man arrested at the scene was later released without charge. Around 8.30pm, a 31-year-old man was arrested at a home and remains in custody at Wagga Wagga police station. All three people involved in the Wagga Wagga case are believed to have known each other.

NSW opposition leader Kellie Sloane said she was horrified by the alleged stabbing deaths, calling them part of a broader pattern rather than isolated incidents. She cited Australian Institute of Health and Welfare data showing a woman was killed by an intimate partner every 11 days in 2024-25, with the toll higher when other family members are included. Sloane said women of all ages — from 23 to their 90s — remain unsafe in their own homes, and called on every level of government and the wider community to take responsibility for change.