Homicide Squad detectives appeal after stabbing death at Sanctuary Point, NSW

Homicide Squad detectives are appealing for public information following the stabbing murder of man on the state’s South Coast earlier this year.

About 8pm on Sunday 25 July 2021, emergency services were called to a caravan park on Ethel Street at Sanctuary Point, following reports of a stabbing.

Upon arrival, officers entered a cabin and located a man with a stab wound to his chest.

Officers attempted CPR on the man; however, he could not be revived and died at the scene.

He was formally identified as 49-year-old Sanctuary Point resident, David McArthur.

Initial inquiries were conducted by officers from South Coast Police District before detectives from the State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad took carriage of the investigation under Strike Force Frawley.

Homicide Squad, Detective Chief Inspector Wayne Walpole, said detectives have several promising lines of inquiry but require further public assistance to identify those involved in Mr McArthur’s death.

“I’d like to thank the local community who have already provided us with some strong leads in relation to the night David was murdered,” Det Ch Insp Walpole said.

“Strike Force Frawley investigators will remain in the Shoalhaven area this week, interviewing additional witnesses and conducting a further canvass of several areas of interest.

“Detectives are particularly keen to speak with anyone who may have information relating to several persons seen leaving the caravan park around the time of David’s murder,” Det Ch Insp Walpole said.

David’s father, Stuart McArthur, urged anyone in the local community with information about his son’s death to use this opportunity to come forward to police.

“The last three months has been incredibly tough on our family – particularly because we still have no answers on how or why this happened to David,” Mr McArthur said.

“David was a proud Australian who loved life and was a generous man. He didn’t deserve to die in the circumstances which he did.

“We know police will be following up new avenues of their investigation in the coming days; please – if you know something about David’s death – use this as an opportunity to do what is right,” Mr McArthur said.

Anyone with information that may assist investigators is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.

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