A man has been charged with murder after the body of a woman was located in Ballina overnight as reported earlier this morning.

About 12.30am (Wednesday 4 January 2022), a man attended Ballina Police Station and reported a welfare concern for a woman known to him.

Officers from Richmond Police District attended Holden Lane, near Cherry Street, Ballina, and located the body of a woman.

She is yet to be formally identified but is believed to be aged 64.

Local detectives, with assistance from the State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad, are investigating the circumstances surrounding the woman’s death under Strike Force Blaikie.

The man – aged 66 – was arrested at the police station and has since been charged with murder (DV) and contravene prohibition/restriction in AVO (Domestic).

He has been refused bail to appear at Lismore Local Court tomorrow (Thursday 5 January 2023).

Investigations are continuing.

Anyone with information that may assist Strike Force Blaikie 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.