After 26 long years of being a cold case, an 81-year-old man has been arrested and charged with the murder of his wife in Dover Heights which occurred on March 10, 1998. Aaron Govendir was taken into custody on Thursday morning in connection with the death of his wife, Denise Govendir.
The case dates back to the early hours of that fateful day when emergency services responded to reports of a home invasion on Dover Road. Upon arrival, they discovered the body of 53-year-old Denise Govendir. At the time, Mr. Govendir, then 55, claimed that an unknown intruder had broken into their home, assaulted both him and his wife, and fled the scene in their car.
However, NSW Police now allege that Mr. Govendir fabricated the break-in to cover up his wife’s murder. Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty, NSW Police Homicide Commander, stated in a press conference that the arrest was the result of a thorough reinvestigation of the case.
“We’re actually drinking from the well that was previously drunk by others,” Superintendent Doherty explained. “The original brief of evidence was very sound and solid. Getting fresh medical evidence, fresh forensic evidence, and really building what we allege in court is a strong circumstantial case… we now have sufficient evidence today to charge this man with murder.”
The breakthrough comes after years of investigation, including a coronial inquest held between 2005 and 2008, which confirmed that Ms. Govendir died as a result of blunt force head injury intentionally inflicted by a person or persons unknown. In November 2021, NSW Police launched another investigation into the murder, and last year, a $1 million reward was announced for information leading to an arrest and conviction.
Superintendent Doherty describe d Mr. Govendir as “emotionless” during his arrest, noting it as unusual. He also mentioned that family members of Ms. Govendir reacted with “mixed emotions” to the news of the arrest. The couple had two children together.
“It was a point where that family has been holding the burden of grief for some time, but they have also held a lantern of hope for the last 26 years,” Superintendent Doherty said. “Today we have been able to give them the news they have been waiting for a long time.”
Police will allege in court that the robbery was staged. “This was a woman who lost her life violently in her own home,” Superintendent Doherty emphasised.
Mr. Govendir has been refused bail and is scheduled to appear before Penrith Magistrates Court on Friday. The arrest marks a significant milestone in this long-standing cold case, potentially bringing closure to a family that has waited over a quarter of a century for answers.
Published 15-August-2024
