A man has been charged with fraud-related offences as part of an ongoing investigation into the murder of an elderly man in Sydney's east last month.
About 11.20am on Sunday 20 December 2020, emergency services were called to a unit on Elphinstone Road, South Coogee, after concerns were raised for the welfare of a male occupant.
Officers from Eastern Beaches Police Area Command attended and located the body of a man.
The man was formally identified as 77-year-old South Coogee resident, Peter McCarthy.
A post-mortem examination determined that Mr McCarthy died from severe head and facial injuries.
A crime scene was established at the unit and subsequently examined by forensic officers.
Local police commenced inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the man's death, before detectives from the State Crime Command's Homicide Squad took carriage of the investigation under Strike Force Airy.
On Monday (11 January 2021), strike force detectives arrested a 46-year-old woman at South Coogee. She was charged over the alleged murder and remains before the courts.
Following further inquiries, Homicide Squad detectives, with assistance from South West Metropolitan Operations Support Group (OSG), executed a search warrant at unit at Summer Hill just before 7am today (Wednesday 13 January 2021).
During the search, officers seized a number of items relevant to the investigation.
A 44-year-old man was arrested and taken to Burwood Police Station, where he was charged with eight offences, including, receive stolen property, five counts of dishonestly obtain financial advantage by deception and two counts of make vexatious call to emergency service number.
Police will allege in court that the man obtained and used credit cards belonging to a 77-year-old South Coogee man.
He was granted strict conditional bail to appear at Burwood Local Court on Tuesday 2 February 2021.
Investigations under Strike Force Airy are continuing.
