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Women killed in Australia 2024.

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Women killed in Australia

An alarming number of Australian women have been killed in recent years and the number of victims keeps rising. A woman was killed every four days in the first half of 2024. Find out more about their lives and what is being done to prevent more women’s deaths. Some of the cases featured are still before the courts.

53 stories
Annette Brennan and her alleged killer, Stephen Fleming.

Man denies murdering English teacher and dumping body in bin

Stephen Fleming is to stand trial in the Supreme Court over the death of Annette Brennan, whose body was found in green waste at a recycling facility.

  • Melissa Cunningham
Meaghan Louise Rose’s body was found at the bottom of the cliffs in 1997.

Man arrested over murder of partner after nationwide manhunt

The body of Meaghan Louise Rose, 25, was found at the base of cliffs on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. Keith Lees has been apprehended in Sydney.

  • Jessica McSweeney and Clare Sibthorpe
A man is arrested in Langwarrin following a stabbing incident.
  • Updated

Man charged with murder after woman stabbed to death in Langwarrin

A man has been charged with murder over the stabbing death of his wife inside their home in Melbourne’s south-east, a day after they celebrated Christmas there with family.

  • Marta Pascual Juanola and Hannah Hammoud
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Chloe Jade Mason died on a suburban street in Caboolture on Sunday night.
  • Updated

Tributes for ‘beautiful sister’ allegedly chased, gunned down in suspected murder

Chloe Jade Mason was found unconscious with a gunshot wound on a Caboolture footpath in the early hours of Sunday morning after reportedly being pursued by two men.

  • Catherine Strohfeldt
Analyn “Logee” Osias was stabbed to death by her ex-partner, James Pualic, in 2023.

Man jailed for up to 24 years after stabbing ex-girlfriend to death in front of her child

James Pualic murdered Analyn “Logee” Osias, a mother of four, after breaking into her Bendigo home in 2023.

  • Tara Cosoleto
Murderer  Dinush Kurera buying an axe.

Axe murderer sentenced to 37 years’ jail for killing estranged wife

A judge found Dinush Kurera’s self-pity during a bitter divorce transformed into homicidal rage.

  • Erin Pearson
Andre Rebelo’s murder trial lasted eight weeks.

Web of lies: Why Andre Rebelo killed his ‘happy and healthy’ mother

Jurors cried as the verdict was announced on Thursday afternoon following nearly two days of deliberation and an eight-week trial.

  • Rebecca Peppiatt
The Footscray property where the woman’s body was found.

Man charged with murder after woman’s body found at Footscray brothel

Police have charged a 35-year-old man who appeared in court on Thursday.

  • Shelby Garlick and Erin Pearson
Murder accused Lachlan Young.

Hannah McGuire’s alleged killer fights to move trial away from home town

Lachlan Young, who has pleaded not guilty to killing his 23-year-old ex-girlfriend, wants his murder trial heard in Melbourne rather than Ballarat.

  • Erin Pearson
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Eyal Yaffe applied for bail on Friday.
  • Updated

Man accused of helping dispose of Isla Bell’s body in fridge granted bail

Eyal Yaffe has been released on strict conditions including a $20,000 surety and that he wear an ankle bracelet and abide by a curfew.

  • Erin Pearson
Arnima Hayat was murdered by her husband Meraj Zafar.
  • Graphic content

Father’s heartbreaking revelation about Sydney acid bath murder victim

The parents of a pregnant Sydney woman murdered by her husband have told a court their daughter was stolen from her family by a man who was meant to love and respect her.

  • Sarah McPhee
Isla Bell had dreams of being a marine biologist.
  • Editorial

Isla’s memory must be honoured with action

It is now commonplace to talk about violence against women as a “national crisis”. But has our response been commensurate with this sort of language?

  • The Age's View
Ariel Bombara speaks at a domestic violence rally in Perth on Monday, November 25. Picture: Hamish Hastie
  • Graphic content

‘A terrifying game of cat and mouse’: Floreat murderer’s daughter speaks at DV rally

Ariel Bombara has revealed her abusive father was on the phone to her mother when he murdered her best friend and her best friend’s daughter.

  • Hamish Hastie and Heather McNeill
Left to right: Lions co-captain Harris Andrews, Lions CEO Greg Swann, Beyond DV’s Carolyn Robinson and chief justice Will Alstergren.

‘Men can lead the change’: Brisbane Lions join call for men to step up on family violence

Australia’s top Family Court judge has joined sporting stars and entertainers to call on men to step up and speak out against domestic and family violence.

  • Courtney Kruk
A pile of hard rubbish at the corner of Tucker Road and Brosa Avenue in Bentleigh that police cordoned off  and searched on Tuesday.

Murdered, stuffed in a fridge and driven across Melbourne. What police allege happened to Isla Bell

Police allege the death of 19-year-old Isla Bell was caught on a sophisticated CCTV system, which then captured her “sugar daddy” trying to dispose of her body.

  • Erin Pearson
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Isla Bell.

Face behind the flyer: The gentle life and cruel death of Melbourne’s ‘missing’ teenager

For six weeks, Isla Bell became the teen everyone knew as “missing” – but to her loved ones, the 19-year-old was so much more.

  • Cassandra Morgan
Vicky Apostolopoulos.

Vicky’s home was open to anyone who needed her. Then she was killed on her doorstep

The death of Vicky Apostolopoulos, who was allegedly murdered by her neighbour, has sent her loved ones into shock.

  • Cassandra Morgan
Maryam Hamka’s mother, Susan Iramiyan, leaving the Victorian Supreme Court, which found Toby Loughnane guilty of murder.

Susan visits her daughter’s grave every day. At night, she dreams of her screaming for help

Maryam Hamka’s devastated mother knows no parent should have to bury a child. Now she wants her killer punished for what he’s done to her family.

  • Erin Pearson
Missing Ballarat mother Samantha Murphy.
  • Updated

Families watch on as Samantha Murphy’s accused killer opts to fast-track murder trial

Patrick Stephenson will have his trial fast-tracked to the Supreme Court after pleading not guilty to murdering the missing Ballarat mother.

  • Erin Pearson
Noeline Dalzell was murdered by her former partner.
  • Exclusive

Noeline wasn’t warned her ex had been released from jail early. Soon after, she was murdered

The case has prompted the state coroner to call for an overhaul of the way Victoria deals with family violence perpetrators.

  • Erin Pearson
Rosemary Franzidis was remembered by her family for her kindness and devotion.

Third person charged over string of offences before crash killed grandmother

The death of 69-year-old Rosemary Franzidis at Murrumba Downs came after car thefts and attempted robberies at gunpoint in the hours before the crash.

  • Cloe Read
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Xiaozheng Lin covered his face when arriving at court on Thursday.

Man who killed two sex workers hours apart to serve seven more years

Xiaozheng Lin killed the two women in their own homes, but struck a deal to plead guilty to manslaughter. The sentence has been labelled unjust and unfair.

  • Erin Pearson
Six people were killed in the Westfield Bondi Junction stabbing attack by Joel Cauchi.

Bombshell evidence about Bondi Westfield killer revealed at hearing

The first hearing into the stabbing rampage, in which Joel Cauchi killed six people before being shot dead by police, has been held in Sydney.

  • Perry Duffin
Screengrabs of footage of Joe Lo Bianco, 53, on the evening of his wife’s murder.

Man who murdered his wife in Northcote garage jailed for 24 years

The anti-vaxxer bludgeoned his scientist wife to death with a 7.5-kilogram metal car ramp.

  • Holly Hales
Joel Micallef, 33, has been charged with the murder of his partner Nikkita Azzopardi.

Murder accused in hospital after charges over South Morang woman’s death

The 33-year-old partner of Nikkita Azzopardi missed his court hearing because he is receiving treatment in hospital.

  • Erin Pearson and Lachlan Abbott
Police said several people sent them information about Robert Crawford after their appeal.
  • Updated

Murder accused allegedly moved wife’s body near mower

A man accused of murdering his wife moved her body before she was found dead near a ride-on lawnmower, police allege.

  • Rex Martinich
Hannah McGuire, 23, was found dead on April 5.

Hannah McGuire’s accused killer pleads not guilty as her family packs courtroom

Lachlan Young’s murder trial will go straight to the Supreme Court, after he pleaded not guilty to killing Hannah McGuire, whose loved ones watched on, wearing jumpers emblazoned with her picture.

  • Erin Pearson
Kathryn Joy holds an image of their mother, who was killed in the family home by Joy’s father.

Carolyn Stuckey was shot dead by her husband. He was then allowed to raise their three small children

Allan Stuckey spent 22 months in jail for killing his wife, then raised their children. Now one of them wants to know why – and help give a voice to other child survivors of family violence.

  • Wendy Tuohy
Nelomie Perera.

Nelomie did everything to protect herself. Her estranged husband killed her anyway

A judge has suggested family violence offenders be forced to wear ankle bracelets after the axe murder of a mother in front of her children.

  • Erin Pearson
Domestic violence
  • Exclusive

The $702m plan to help tackle rise in domestic violence

A spate of killings earlier this year prompted the government to commission a rapid review. On Friday, the national cabinet meets to respond.

  • David Crowe
Xiaoting Wang was found dead in her Burwood unit.

Sydney University student found dead in Burwood unit identified

Detectives are appealing for help from the community to solve the death of the international student, whose partner was also found dead.

  • Jessica McSweeney
Emmerich Lasakar, 35, was killed at her Kewdale home.

Perth dad gets 20 years for fatally stabbing partner in front of kids

In sentencing the man over Emmerich Lasakar’s death, a Perth judge has said domestic violence is at crisis point, requiring “a broader societal response”.

  • Rebecca Peppiatt
Emma Bates was found dead in her home in Cobram, in Victoria’s north, in April this year.

Beneath a veil of violence: The inspiring life and haunting death of Emma Bates

Emma, 49, was found dead in her home in April by police who broke in to conduct a welfare check. She had head and upper body injuries consistent with being violently assaulted.

  • Melissa Cunningham
Police allege Kiesha Thompson, 23, was the victim of a domestic violence murder.
  • Updated

Keisha lost her life in a hit-run crash. Police say it was no accident

Police say the young mother struck by a vehicle after dropping a child at a daycare centre had been in a relationship months earlier with a man now charged over her death.

  • Cloe Read
The body of Kierra-Lea Jensen was found at her Leichhardt home.
  • Updated

A relative called police, concerned for Kierra-Lea. They found her fatally stabbed at home

Police have charged a 36-year-old man with murder after the body of a woman with multiple stab wounds was found in Ipswich.

  • Courtney Kruk and Bailey Kenzie
English teacher Annette Brennan.

Annette taught English to migrants and loved helping people. Then her body was found in a wheelie bin

Shocked former students and members of Annette Brennan’s church have remembered her as an amazing teacher and a “second mum” to some.

  • Marta Pascual Juanola

Continue this series

Remember their faces: Women killed in Australia
Previously
The bodies of Lilie James and Paul Thijssen have now both been formally identified.

Fear, control and punishment. Why Paul Thijssen killed Lilie James

The St Andrew’s sports coach covered up his sense of inadequacy by “projecting an image of perfection”. But James challenged that facade when she rejected him, experts say.

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