Australian man charged in death of Surrey woman in Sydney: reports
Posted August 29, 2023 9:02 am.
Last Updated August 30, 2023 6:40 am.
Content warning: This story contains details about domestic violence and abuse that some readers may find disturbing. If you are experiencing gender-based violence or intimate-partner violence, VictimLinkBC is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week across B.C. by phone or text at 1-800-563-0808 or email VictimLinkBC@bc211.ca.
A man accused of killing a woman formerly from Surrey has been charged with murder in Australia.
Tatiana Dokhotaru was found dead in a Sydney apartment in May nearly 20 hours after she made a frantic phone call to police. The 34-year-old woman said she was being assaulted, but police didn’t respond in time. Reports suggested the phone cut before she was able to give more information about her location, and that police deemed it a “priority three.”
When they eventually got there, officers discovered the woman’s body.
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According to ABC News, 28-year-old Danny Zayat was arrested and charged with murder after police “executed a search warrant” on Monday.
Several news outlets say Zayat was already facing more than 20 domestic violence offences. 9NEWS reports the man was in court after the latest charge was laid and that he did not apply for bail.
There is also another investigation underway into why it took police so long to respond to Dokhotaru’s call for help.
7NEWS reported in June that no name or address were given when the woman first made the 000 call, and the tower where she lived has more than two dozen floors and nearly 300 suites.
It also said the call wasn’t deemed a priority for police and when they first arrived, they couldn’t gain access to the building and left, returning only hours later to find the woman dead.
ABC News says detectives flew to Canada last week, gathering “important information” about the woman’s life and the people she knew.
