Man Charged With Boyfriend’s Murder In Car Park In Sydney

The NSW Police on Thursday morning charged a 43-year-old man with the alleged murder of his boyfriend in the car park of an apartment block in Rushcutters Bay, an eastern suburb of Sydney

The 39-year old victim died on Wednesday afternoon after a domestic violence incident, the police said.

A spokesperson at NSW Police told Star Observer on Wednesday evening that the victim was in a relationship with the alleged offender, identified as Phillip Papaefthymiou.

Sources close to the investigation said that a fist fight broke out between the couple in the car park.

Paramedics Tried To Revive Victim

Following reports from neighbours shortly before 2pm, officers from King Cross Police Area Command along with NSW Ambulance paramedics attended the scene at Kings Cross Road in Sydney’s inner east. The victim was found unresponsive in the building’s basement carpark.

Despite attempts made by paramedics to revive the victim, he died shortly after being transferred to St Vincent’s Hospital.

Papaefthymiou was arrested at the scene and taken to Kings Cross Police Station. “He was transferred to hospital under police guard for observation, before being taken back to the police station and charged with murder,” the police’s media unit said.

The couple were at the time of the incident staying with a third man, who is currently helping police with their investigations, at his Rushcutters Bay home.

Footage from the scene showed police escorting this man, dressed in a forensic suit, out of the apartment block. NSW police went on to confirm that this was due to the man being only dressed in a towel at the time of emergency services arriving at the scene on Wednesday afternoon.

Neighbours Had Called Cops

Speaking with the ABC, local resident and eyewitness Cane Foster told reporters that he saw a man sitting on the side of the road before being arrested.

“There was a guy being taken by two police officers into the back of a paddy wagon, not dressed in particular clean clothes or anything like that, he looked quite dishevelled if anything,”

“I’m feeling very shocked knowing what the circumstances are” Foster told the ABC.

Another neighbour, Gayle Wilkinson told the ABC that when she went to collect her car this morning, she arrived “only to find it covered in fingerprint dust used by investigators.”

“It was just a shock yesterday. I got down here and couldn’t get anywhere near my car. I have worked in Kings Cross a long time, there is always something going on,” she told the ABC.

“I’ve got to admit, it did keep me up a lot last night — I won’t be leaving my car there today,”

Papaefthymiou was refused bail and appeared at the Central Local Court today, Thursday the 13th of May.

In a message on social media, LGBTQI+ legal community group Pride In Law said that “Domestic and family violence occurs in all communities, including our rainbow community.”

Help is available at the following numbers: 

* DVConnect Womensline – 1800 811 811

* DVConnect Mensline – 1800 600 636

* 1800 RESPECT – 1800 737 732

* Sexual Assault Helpline – 1800 010 120

* Kids Helpline – 1800 551 800

* Lifeline – 13 11 14

* Emergency – 000