Man charged with murder after woman’s body found

A 37-year-old man faces murder charges after the body of a woman was found suffering from gunshot wounds.

A sawn-off shotgun and ammunition were allegedly found in the man’s car when NSW Police detained him in the Hunter Valley region on Saturday night.

The arrest came after emergency services were called to a home in Kearsley on Friday night.

Police found a 39-year-old woman dead at home.

On Saturday, police warned the public they wanted to speak to a man before receiving a report that he had been seen in Bellbird.

Hunter Valley Superintendent Steve Laksa said the woman’s death involved a “traumatic event”.

“This was pretty scary for the family members involved and their three children,” he told reporters on Saturday.

It appears one of the children ran onto his neighbor’s property to find help.

The man, who was arrested on Saturday, was charged with murder, possession of prohibited drugs, possession of a prohibited firearm and possession of unlicensed ammunition.

He was refused bail to appear before Parramatta Local Court on Sunday.

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