A man will re-appear in court today charged following a breakthrough in the cold case investigation into the 1986 murder of Tatiana Sokoloff.
Emergency services were called to a home on Dudley Street, Haberfield, about 11pm on Saturday 6 September 1986, after the body of 56-year-old Tatiana Sokoloff was found on the back veranda.
The initial investigation established the home had been broken into and property had been stolen.
Local police and detectives from the Homicide Squad conducted a thorough investigation at the time, however, no one was charged with her murder.
The 1987 Coronial inquest into her death found that she died from head injuries and strangulation by a person or persons unknown.
In August 2018, detectives from the Homicide Squad’s Unsolved Homicide Unit established Strike Force Nickleby to re-investigate the circumstances surrounding the murder.
As part of their inquiries, numerous exhibits were re-examined and re-tested by specialist forensic offences, which returned a DNA profile.
Following extensive investigations, Strike Force Nickleby detectives applied for an arrest warrant for a 63-year-old man, who was believed to be living interstate.
About 4pm on Thursday 12 December 2019, the man was arrested by Victoria Police, in the presence of strike force investigators, in a car park at St Albans, Victoria.
The man appeared at Melbourne Magistrates Court, where NSW Police Force detectives applied for and were granted his extradition to NSW.
He was escorted by Strike Force Nickleby detectives on a flight to Sydney last Friday (13 December 2019), and taken to Surry Hills Police Station.
The man has since been charged with murder.
He was refused bail and appeared at Parramatta Bail Court on Saturday (14 December 2019), where he was formally refused bail to re-appear at Central Local Court today (Monday 16 December 2019).
Police are urging anyone with information that may assist Strike Force Nickleby detectives to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or use the Crime Stoppers online reporting page: https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au/
Information you provide will be treated in the strictest of confidence. We remind people they should not report crime information via our social media pages.
