Man allegedly faked burglary to conceal wife's murder

Aaron Govendir is accused of killing his wife, Denise, by bludgeoning her in bed and then staging a fake burglary to cover up the crime in their Sydney home of nearly three decades ago, according to prosecutors. The couple had been married for 30 years but had been struggling with arguments and even separated for six months prior to Denise's death in March 1998.

Denise had sought legal advice about ending the marriage amicably, as she desired half of the family home they had previously discussed, while Govendir had a significant stake in a company worth millions. Days before her death, Govendir instructed his solicitor to cease all communication about the separation. On the night of her murder, Denise was last seen alive by her daughter around 10pm, two and a half hours before a neighbor heard a scream.

Around 2am, Govendir called emergency services, claiming someone had entered the home, attacked him, and tied him up. He later told the operator that he thought there had been two assailants. Paramedics found Denise's cold, bloodied body with traumatic head injuries and a defensive wound. The couple's car was later found parked about 20 minutes away from their home. Govendir, now 83 years old, pleaded not guilty to the charges.