AceBreakingNews – An 81-year-old man has been charged with the murder of his wife in Sydney’s eastern suburbs more than 25 years ago.
Just after 2am on March 10, 1998, emergency services responded to reports of a home invasion on Dover Road in Dover Heights, where they located the body of 53-year-old Denise Govendir. It is alleged Ms Govendir’s husband, Aaron Govendir, fabricated the break-in to cover up her murder.
Mr Govendir was arrested on Thursday morning and has since been charged with murder.
NSW Police Homicide Commander Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty said detectives drew on past investigations of the case to make the arrest.
“We’re actually drinking from the well that was previously drunk by others,” he said.
“The original brief of evidence was very sound and solid.
“Getting fresh medical evidence, fresh forensic evidence, and really building what we allege in court is a strong circumstantial case… we now have sufficient evidence today to charge this man with murder.”
Mr Govendir, who was 55 at the time of the alleged murder, has been refused bail and will appear before Penrith Magistrates Court on Friday.
Superintendent Doherty said he was “emotionless” when he was arrested on Thursday.
“His reaction was quite emotionless, which is quite unusual,” he said.
Superintendent Doherty said family members of Ms Govendir had reacted with “mixed emotions” to the news of Mr Govendir’s arrest.
He said the couple had two children together.
“It was a point where that family has been holding the burden of grief for some time, but they have also held a lantern of hope for the last 26 years,” he said.
“Today we have been able to give them the news they have been waiting for a long time.”
Police allege robbery was staged
Police allege Mr Govendir claimed he and his wife had been assaulted by an unknown man who broke into their home by pretending to be the police.
Mr Govendir allegedly told officers he had been struck unconscious and bound with cable ties.
He said the unknown man then allegedly proceeded to seriously assault Ms Govendir and fled the scene in her car – a white 1997 Ford Laser sedan.
“We will allege this was a staged robbery,” Superintendent Doherty said.
“This was a woman who lost her life violently in her own home.”
A coronial inquest held between 2005 and 2008 confirmed Ms Govendir died as a result of blunt force head injury intentionally inflicted by a person or persons unknown.
In November 2021 NSW Police launched another investigation into the murder.
Last year a $1 million reward was announced for information that led to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for Ms Govendir’s murder.
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