- Luke Sekkouah, 35, charged with murder
- He allegedly killed his partner Erica Hay
- Police suspect he then set their house on fire
The man accused of killing his partner and then setting their home on fire before fleeing the blaze has appeared in court.
Luke Hanif Sekkouah, 35, was brought before the Northbridge Magistrates Court on Sunday charged with the murder of 30-year-old Erica Hay.
Firefighters discovered Ms Hay’s body in a rear bedroom of a house on Currie Street, Warnbro, in Perth’s southern suburbs, about 1am on Friday after being called to the property following reports of a house fire.
Police allege Sekkouah physically assaulted the mother of four sometime between 7:30 a.m. Thursday and 1 a.m. Friday at the home where they both lived.
It is alleged that Sekkouah then set fire to the house while Mrs Hay was still inside.
Luke Hanif Sekkouah, 35, faced Northbridge Magistrates Court charged with the murder of 30-year-old Erica Hay
Sekkouah and Mrs Hay’s three-year-old daughter escaped the fire before firefighters arrived on the scene.
His lawyer Paul Bevilacqua asked magistrate Michelle Pontifex to postpone the case for several weeks.
During his brief hearing, Sekkouah spoke only to confirm his name and indicate he understood the charges against him.
He will appear at Stirling Gardens Magistrates Court at the end of next month.
Sekkouah, an acquaintance of Ms Hay, assisted police with their investigation before he was charged with murder and criminal damage by fire.
Dave Gorton, acting chief inspector of police, said Ms Hay’s death was “very confronting” for first responders.
Police will allege Sekkouah physically assaulted mother-of-four Erica Hay, 30, before setting fire to her home and fleeing the blaze with her three-year-old daughter
“There is no risk to the public, but the scene at the house was very confronting for the paramedics and police who attended the fire,” Mr Gorton said.
‘I think it was a very confrontational situation for the emergency workers and other emergency services.’
Authorities have yet to determine Ms Hay’s cause of death.
“We have been in contact with the forensic pathologists and we are still waiting for information on the cause of death,” Mr Gorton said.
Mrs Hay’s daughter was taken to Rockingham Hospital for treatment for smoke inhalation. It is understood she is recovering and in stable condition.