Another day, another Australian woman killed: Woman, 49, is stabbed to death before a 40-year-old is charged with murder – just days after murder-suicide shocked the nation
- Woman stabbed to death at a unit block in Townsville, Queensland, overnight
- A Mount Isa man, 40, has been charged with the alleged murder of the woman
- The alleged murder comes days after a father burnt his family to death
- Australia confronts its domestic violence problem as people seek help to stop
A 49-year-old woman has been stabbed to death in Townsville just days after a killer dad burnt his family to death as Australia confronts its domestic violence problem.
Police were called to a bloodstained unit on Granville St, Pimlico, at about 1am on Saturday, where they found the woman and pronounced her dead at the scene.
A 40-year-old man from the mining town of Mount Isa has been arrested and charged with one count of murder (domestic violence), Queensland Police said.
He is scheduled to appear in the Townsville Magistrates Court on Monday.
The scene in Townsville, Queensland, where a woman was stabbed to death overnight in an alleged domestic violence killing
A sign showing growing anger about domestic violence at the scene in Brisbane where Hannah Clarke and her three kids were doused in petrol and burnt alive on February 19
‘The relationship between the man and woman is under investigation, however, it has been confirmed they were known to one another,’ police said.
A neighbour who had lived next door to the unit for 19 years told the Townsville Bulletin that police had been called to the complex a number of times before.
‘I’ve called the police on one occasion when we heard really loud banging and banging because I was concerned for their welfare,’ the neighbour said.
The killing comes just days after Australia confronted the horror of domestic violence when a former star NRL football player burnt his family to death.
Rowan Baxter killed Hannah Clarke, Aaliyah, 6, Laianah, 4, and Trey, 3, when he doused them in petrol and set their car alight in a Brisbane street on Wednesday morning.
The unit block on Granville St, Pimlico where the alleged domestic violence murder occurred
A 40-year-old Mount Isa man will appear in Townsville Magistrates Court (pictured) on Monday
He died shortly after stabbing himself in the abdomen with a knife.
The shocking attack has seen more people turn to domestic violence services for help, Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence Minister Di Farmer says.
‘I’ve spoken with many people who work in the DFV sector and everyone has been absolutely devastated by the deaths of Hannah and her little babies,’ Ms Farmer told AAP.
‘But they’ve also said that in the past few days, they’ve seen an incredible surge in calls from people asking for help – and importantly, from people asking for help to stop being violent.’