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Businessman, 74, is charged with ‘choking his wife to death in their beachside California bungalow worth millions’ – as detectives investigate if a young child witnessed the alleged attack
- Steven Barker, 74, was charged with murder and is due to face court on Friday
- His 74-year-old wife suffered fatal injuries in alleged domestic violence incident
- Police were called to the home in Bronte, in Sydney’s east on Thursday night
A husband has been charged with the murder of his wife after allegedly choking her to death in the couple’s multi-million dollar beachside home.
Business development manager Steven Barker, 74, was arrested on Thursday evening and charged with one count of murder after police were called to a home on Bronte Road, Bronte, in the city’s east.
Officers found a 74-year-old woman outside their property with critical injuries, which police believe were inflicted in an alleged domestic violence incident.
The woman was rushed to St Vincent’s Hospital but was unable to be revived.
Daily Mail Australia understands police are investigating whether a child may have witnessed the alleged incident.
The California bungalow is just 600m from Bronte Beach, where properties sell for up to $25 million.
Steven Barker, 74, has been charged with one count of murder, after police were called to a home on Bronte Road, Bronte in the city’s east about 6pm on Thursday following a concern for welfare report
Police have taped off the home in Bronte, in Sydney’s east, after a 74-year-old woman died
Police tape surrounded the front of the multimillion dollar home on Friday as officers worked on the crime scene
Detectives and police officers are seen at the scene in Bronte on Friday morning
A NSW Ambulance spokesperson said the woman had suffered a heart attack after allegedly being choked.
No weapons were believed to have been used in the alleged attack.
Mr Barker was arrested at the scene and has been refused bail to appear at Waverley Local Court on Friday morning.
Images from the scene show the elderly man, with grey hair, a beard and glasses, being led from the house with his hands behind his back.
Blood stains were visible on the sleeve of his t-shirt and there appeared to be a bruise under his left eye.
Mr Parker worked as a business development manager for telecommunications network installation company Schokman, according to his LinkedIn.
Police were called to the Bronte home at about 6pm on Thursday
Police arrived at the home on Bronte Road to find a woman critically injured. Pictured: Emergency workers race to save her life
The woman was rushed to St Vincent’s Hospital but was unable to be saved
Cyclists going for their morning rides are seen travelling past the house where a woman was allegedly murdered
Police officers are seen taping off the home in Bronte after the incident
Police tape surrounded the home on Friday as uniformed police and detectives scoured the home for evidence.
Detectives later emerged from the house carrying brown evidence bags before loading them into the back of a police car.
Police even confiscated letters delivered by a postman on Friday.
Neighbours of the family have been left shocked by the news the 74-yea-old woman had died
Police and plain clothed detectives are seen at the scene of the alleged murder
One local resident said she was sad to hear it was an alleged case of domestic violence.
‘You hear about these things but it’s shocking when it’s on your doorstep,’ she told Daily Mail Australia. ‘It’s so tragic for her.’
Neighbour Jack McIntosh said: ‘She (the alleged victim) would always say hi to our family.
‘It was really shocking. Especially coming home to see eight to ten police cars.’
Mr McIntosh added that the couple ‘kept to themselves’.
‘I didn’t see too much of the man but they looked like a normal family,’ he said.
A police officer is seen taping the area around the house in Bronte
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