Three men charged with domestic violence murders in NSW

Three men have been charged with domestic‑violence related murders after the deaths of three women in New South Wales on Saturday.

Sergei Mitnik appeared in a bail court on Sunday, hours after being charged with the murder of a woman in her 90s who was found with significant stab wounds to her torso at a unit on Sydney’s Bondi Beach. The victim died at the scene. Police said Mitnik knew the woman and was arrested at the home before the charge was laid. Defence lawyer Javid Faiz described the case as “extremely serious” and raised concerns about his client’s mental health, noting that a psychologist appointment had been cancelled a month earlier and that Mitnik had been taking the medication Ozempic, which may have affected him. No bail application was made and the case was adjourned to Thursday.

Hours before the elderly woman’s death, a 23‑year‑old was found with stab wounds inside a home in Wagga Wagga, in southwest New South Wales. Adam Mark Perrim, 31, was arrested almost nine hours later at another residence in the regional city and was charged with the young woman’s murder. Investigators said the pair were in a relationship. Perrim briefly appeared before court on Sunday but did not apply for bail; he is scheduled to appear again on 18 November.

Later that Saturday, the body of a 70‑year‑old woman was discovered at Mole River after reports of a domestic‑violence incident at a neighbouring property around 9.35 pm. Police believe a 37‑year‑old man entered a property, attempted to steal a vehicle, and then assaulted a 74‑year‑old male resident. The man was arrested, and a search of the adjacent property revealed the woman’s body. Part of the house was damaged by fire. The 37‑year‑old has been charged with murder and is due to appear before court on Monday. Police said he and the woman also knew each other.

Premier Chris Minns said his thoughts were with the families and communities of the three women, calling the crimes “shocking” and noting the families were dealing with “unimaginable grief.” Opposition leader Kellie Sloane said the cases should not be treated as background noise, adding that Australia is “failing women across our country” and that every level of government has a responsibility to act. She cited Australian Institute of Health and Welfare statistics that a woman was killed every 11 days in 2024‑25 by an intimate partner, and that more women lose their lives when other family members are involved. She warned that women of all ages, from a 23‑year‑old to a woman in her 90s, are still not safe in their own homes.