'Very distressing' knife murder scene in shared house

Police are treating a stabbing death at a shared residence in Sydney as a domestic violence-related murder, with the NSW premier admitting more needs to be done to protect women.

Benjamin Scott Art, 42, appeared in Parramatta Local Court on Friday charged with the murder of his housemate Annette Kiss the previous morning.

The 53-year-old was stabbed several times in the upper body with a bladed weapon at the couple's home in Russell Lea, in the west of the city.

Ms Kiss was found dead at the scene despite police arriving within a minute of receiving a triple zero call around 11am from a neighbour.

Three other roommates were also present at the time, police said.

Investigators are treating it as a domestic violence-related murder, the latest in a series of violent deaths of women in New South Wales in recent months.

Premier Chris Minns has indicated his government may take further steps to prevent domestic violence, describing the Russell Lea scene as “very distressing” for those involved.

“It reminds us that NSW Police do an incredible job, dealing with harrowing situations, putting their own lives at risk to keep the public safe wherever possible,” he told reporters.

“Domestic violence is prevalent in our community and we need to do everything we can, either by changing the law or providing additional resources for the prevention of domestic and family violence in our community, and the work is far from that. 'be finished.”

In May, the state government announced a $230 million emergency funding package to combat domestic violence, while also taking steps to strengthen bail laws for suspected offenders.

Art, who was not on bail or subject to any apprehended violence order, was taken to hospital for treatment following the incident.

He was then taken to Burwood police station and charged with murder.

In court on Friday, Art did not request bail and it was formally denied before his next appearance on August 28.

Police do not believe the two men were in an intimate relationship, but had been living together as roommates for just two weeks before the deaths.

Superintendent Christine McDonald said witnesses to the stabbing were “visibly distressed”.

“Police were on scene within a minute of the triple zero call. Police arrived at the scene which was very clearly a homicide,” she said Thursday.

“So you can imagine that if you are known to the victim and you are one of their roommates, you will be extremely distressed.”

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