Anne-Marie Streek, 40, and Stephen Henry Evans, 44, were arrested on Thursday and charged with the murder of a 48-year-old woman in Goulburn in the NSW Southern Tablelands.
Police believe the 48-year-old was killed on December 30, 2025 but her body wasn't discovered until early on January 3.
It is alleged that Streek had been in a multi-year relationship with the dead woman until May 2025, when Streek began a live-in relationship with Evans, who lived next door.
"We were quite confident from the onset that it was likely that the victim's former partner was involved in this matter," Detective Superintendent Joe Doueihi told reporters on Friday.
"Both the male and female have been charged with a domestic violence related murder."
Officers conducting a welfare check forced entry to the property before finding her dead with multiple stab wounds.
"An associate of the deceased female who had an appointment with her and (the deceased) had failed to turn up," Det Supt Doeuihi said.
While the exact motivation for the alleged murder is not yet clear, police say the couple left the woman's body in her house while they went on a four-day trip to Lake Burrinjuck the day after the woman's death.
Det Supt Doueihi said Evans has a lengthy police history, including domestic violence matters, while Streek was known for only minor matters.
The senior officer warned that domestic violence could occur in any situation.
"Domestic violence is not limited to male-female relationship, as we know in this instance," he said.
"We don't tolerate any form of domestic violence regardless of who the victims are."
Streek and Evans were refused bail and will appear before Goulburn Local Court on April 15.
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