Woman found dead in Kearsley home near Cessnock in suspected domestic violence incident

A police investigation is ongoing after a woman’s body was found at a Hunter Valley home following a suspected domestic violence incident on Friday night.

Hunter Valley Police District Commander Steve Laksa said on Saturday that police found the 39-year-old woman’s body at a house in Kearsley, near Cessnock, after one of her children walked 300 to 400 meters from the house to get help from a neighbour.

Detectives have opened an investigation into the death and are seeking information on the whereabouts of 37-year-old Christopher James McLoughney, who was potentially armed with a gun, Laksa said.

McLoughney was living with the 39-year-old woman and had been in an intimate relationship with her since June.

Police say the suspect is assessed to be armed and is potentially located in the Cessnock, Lower Hunter or Newcastle areas.

McLoughney is described as Caucasian in appearance, with short red hair, of slim build and approximately 175 to 178 cm tall. Police urged citizens to be vigilant and to contact police if they have any information on the suspect’s whereabouts.

Laksa said the death was a “traumatic event.”

“This was pretty horrific for the family members, their two adult children and one young child… As you can imagine, a domestic violence-related homicide would be pretty confronting for anyone,” he said.