Man charged with arson as Police ramp up investigations into death of 77yo woman found after suspicious unit fire in Bateau Bay on NSW Central Coast

Detectives investigating the suspicious death of a 77-year-old woman whose body was found in a unit fire have now charged a man with arson. The 26-year-old was charged with damaging the property in Bateau Bay in the Central Coast by fire/explosion more than $15,000 (domestic violence). He had been arrested at Chittaway about 3.30pm on Sunday on an outstanding warrant for an unrelated domestic violence offence and charged at Wyong Police station, before being charged with the arson offence later on Monday. He has been refused bail and is set to appear in Bail Division Local Court on Tuesday, as detectives await the outcomes of a post-mortem examination to establish the cause of death and confirm the identity of the woman. The homicide squad was earlier on Monday called in to investigate the death of the elderly woman on the Central Coast following a unit fire. Emergency service crews were called to a unit on Melissa Close at Bateau Bay about 9.30pm on Sunday after receiving reports of a fire. There officers found a body believed to that of a 77-year-old woman who lived in the unit. Initial investigations revealed she had suffered severe burns but the cause of death is yet to be confirmed by a post-mortem examination. A Strike Force team, Areegra, was established by police and the homicide squad to investigate the death which is being treated as suspicious, while it is still unknown what caused the blaze. “We are also keen to speak with anyone who saw any activity around the home unit on Melissa Close between the same hours,” Tuggerah Lakes Police District Commander, Detective Superintendent Chad Gillies said. “While the body of the woman was not discovered until 9.30pm, information provided to police indicate the fire may have been burning for some hours before it was detected.” Superintendent Gillies said the public had so far been cooperative, with one person locating an item found nearby on Joseph Banks Oval and handing it in to police. “This item has been taken for further examination,” he said. “However, I am appealing for anyone who saw any suspicious activity on the oval between 9pm Saturday (23 August 2025) and 9pm Sunday (24 August 2025), to contact Wyong Police.” Earlier investigators spent the day at the scene working to understand how the fire started, with sniffer dogs called in.