Bronte murder: Young girl may have witnessed man allegedly kill wife in Bronte

A man has been charged with murder after an alleged incident at his multimillion-dollar home, where he is accused of choking his wife.

Business development manager Steven Barker, 74, was arrested Thursday night and charged with one count of murder after police were called home on Bronte Road, Bronte, in the east of the city.

Officers found a 74-year-old woman off their property with critical injuries, which police say were inflicted in an alleged domestic violence incident.

The woman was rushed to St Vincent’s Hospital, but could not be resuscitated.

Daily Mail Australia understands that police are investigating whether a child may have witnessed the alleged incident.

The home is just 600 yards from Bronte Beach, where homes have sold for up to $25 million this year.

A spokesman for the NSW Ambulance said the woman had gone into cardiac arrest and was reportedly asphyxiated.

It is believed that no weapons were used in the alleged incident.

Mr Barker was arrested at the scene and refused bail to appear before Waverley Local Court Friday morning.

Footage from the scene shows the elderly man, with gray hair, beard and glasses, being led out of the house with his hands behind his back.

Bloodstains were visible on the sleeve of his t-shirt and there appears to be a bruise under his left eye.

According to his LinkedIn, Mr. Parker worked as a business development manager at Schokman, a telecommunications network installation company.

Police tape surrounded the front of the multimillion-dollar house on Friday as officers worked at the crime scene.

A suitable detective stood at the front with a few police officers before plainclothes detectives arrived and the group descended the stairs to the house.

Detectives later came out of the house with brown evidence bags before loading them into the back of a police car.

A postman arrived at the house Friday morning and attempted to deliver mail, before police officers took the letters from him instead.

Shocked local residents taking their morning walks stopped at the scene and were visibly surprised by the large police presence.

A local resident said she was sad to learn that it was an alleged case of domestic violence.

“You hear about these things, but it’s shocking when it’s on the doorstep,” she told the Daily Mail Australia. “It’s so tragic for her.”

Neighbor Jack McIntosh said, “She (the alleged victim) always said hello to our family.

“It was really shocking. Especially if you come home to see eight to ten police cars.’

Mr McIntosh added that the couple “kept to themselves”.

“I didn’t see much of the man, but they looked like a normal family,” he said.