20 January 2026

Man charged with murder over suspicious Nowra death

| By Zoe Cartwright
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Road with bush behind

Police have arrested a man just a little more than a year after another man with serious head injuries died near this spot near North Nowra. Photo: NSW Police.

A 29-year-old North Nowra man has been charged with murder.

Earlier this year NSW Police renewed investigations into the 2024 suspicious death of a 60-year-old man in North Nowra.

His body was discovered near a fire trail on a rural property on McMahons Road in North Nowra on Monday 9 December 2024.

Police were called at about 8:15 pm, with initial reports indicating the man was found unconscious near a gas pipeline clearing in the bushland west of Rock Hill Road.

NSW Ambulance responded, however the man – who suffered serious head injuries – died at the scene.

Officers attached to South Coast Police District responded and established a crime scene, and Strike Force Bursteed was established to investigate.

READ ALSO Police say Nowra death ‘not random’ after new information

In early 2025 they sought help from the public to find a mystery woman who they believed could help them. In January 2026 a new search was made of the area where the man’s body was found.

A NSW Police spokesperson said that at about 5:30 pm on Monday 19 January 2026 detectives attached to South Coast Police District attended a home in North Nowra, where they arrested a 29-year-old man.

He was taken to Nowra Police Station and charged with murder.

He was also charged with a number of unrelated offences including supply of prohibited drug on an ongoing basis, break, enter and steal, aggravated break and enter and inflict actual bodily harm, police pursuit, driving a motor vehicle during a disqualification period, not stop vehicle when directed to do so, and being armed with the intent to commit an indictable offence.

He was refused bail to appear in Bail Division Court 3 on Tuesday 20 January 2026.

Investigations under Strike Force Bursteed continue.

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