Man is charged with the cold-case murder of a German man in a Sydney apartment after a telling DNA clue from 13 years ago was re-examined
- A Sydney man has been charged with the murder of Bernd Lehmann, 66
- Police arrested the 66-year-old outside a home in Arncliffe on Wednesday
- The body of Mr Lehmann was found in a home unit at Ashfield in February 2008
- Last month, the NSW government offered a $1million reward for information
A Sydney man has been charged with the cold-case murder of German man Bernd Lehmann, a month after police offered a $1million reward.
Detectives from Strike Force Navala arrested a 66-year-old man outside a home in Arncliffe, in southern Sydney, about 7.30am on Wednesday.
He was taken to Kogarah Police Station where he was charged over the murder.
The body of Mr Lehmann, 66, was found in a home unit at Ashfield on February 14, 2008.
Detectives from Strike Force Navala arrested a 66-year-old man outside a home in Arncliffe, in southern Sydney, about 7.30am on Wednesday
The body of Mr Lehmann, 66, was found in a home unit at Ashfield on February 14, 2008
The German national was found dead in a unit in Alt Street Ashfield (pictured) in Sydney’s inner-west on Valentine’s Day in 2008
Detectives from Strike Force Navala arrested a 66-year-old man outside a home in Arncliffe, in southern Sydney, about 7.30am on Wednesday. Pictured: Mr Lehmann
An autopsy revealed he died from severe head injuries.
On Wednesday, Homicide Squad Commander Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty said the re-investigation was building on well-established lines of inquiry.
‘Bernd’s murder was a horrific crime, he was a well-respected member of the community who had been working as a disability carer prior to his murder,’ he said.
‘An advancement in DNA technology assisted detectives in using the evidence gathered from the incident help solve Mr Lehmann’s brutal murder.
‘After 13 years of searching for answers, we hope this result will provide Bernd’s family and loved ones with some peace.’
Mr Lehmann’s family friend Claudia Wolf said she relieved that the alleged killer has finally been brought to justice.
In 2018, DNA samples from the crime scene were re-examined and revealed they did not belong to Mr Lehmann. Pictured: the unit where his body was found
‘For Bernd to die in such a violent way, after spending his life caring and helping others, this senseless murder has been a great source of sadness for us all,’ she said.
‘We hope that this will be the first step for his friends here and family in Germany to get some closure, and to find out why this happened.’
Following a coronial Inquest in 2012, the case was referred to the Unsolved Homicide Unit.
In 2018, DNA samples from the crime scene were re-examined and revealed they did not belong to Mr Lehmann.
Last month, the NSW government offered a $1million reward for information that would lead to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for Mr Lehmann’s death.
Mr Lehmann was a well-respected member of the community and had been working as a disability carer prior to his murder,
He was due to visit a critically-ill relative in Germany in the days before his body was found.
Mr Lehmann’s mother and brother back home in Germany have previously pleaded for help to solve his murder.
Mr Lehmann’s brother Hanns-Jurgen (pictured left in 2009) and mother Irmgard (right) previously appealed for information about Bernd’s brutal death