Man charged with murder over woman’s death in Kearsley, Hunter Valley
A man has been charged with murder after a woman’s body was found at a Hunter Valley home following a suspected domestic violence incident on Friday night.
Christopher McLoughney, 37, will appear in court on Sunday after strike force detectives arrested him in a sports club car park in Bellbird, west of Newcastle, at around 6.45pm on Saturday. Police claimed that the suspect was in possession of a sawn-off shotgun.
Christopher McLoughney will appear in court on murder charges.Credit: Nine News
The alarm was raised on Friday evening after a boy walked 300 to 400 meters from a house on Ellalong Street in Kearsley, near Cessnock, to flag down passing motorists.
Police later found the body of a 39-year-old woman with gunshot wounds when they went to the house around 19.30.
Nine News He identified the woman as McLoughney’s partner, Rhukaya Lake. The couple were living together and had been in an intimate relationship since June.
Rhukaya Lake, 39, has lived around Cessnock for most of her life.Credit: Nine News
“It’s very sad. There was a lot of blood coming out of the mother’s head,” a neighbor said. Nine News.
Hunter Valley Police Area Commander Superintendent Steve Laksa described the death as a “traumatic incident”.
“I can only imagine the negative impact this will have on community members and family members,” he said.
