A 72-year-old man has been charged with murder following the death of a 76-year-old woman at a residential property in Congarinni, on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales.

According to NSW Police, emergency services were called to a house on Corella Close, Congarinni, at approximately 11 am on Thursday, 5 November 2026, following reports of an assault.

Congarinni is located approximately 25 kilometres south-west of Nambucca Heads.

Officers from the Mid North Coast Police District attended the property and discovered the body of a 76-year-old woman. Emergency responders were unable to save her.

Police arrested a 72-year-old man at the scene. Investigators also seized a knife, which will undergo forensic examination as part of the investigation.

The arrested man was initially taken to Coffs Harbour Hospital under police guard for medical attention.

Following further inquiries, detectives formally charged him on Friday, 6 November 2026.

The charges include murder in a domestic violence context and hindering or resisting a police officer in the execution of duty.

The accused appeared before a bedside court hearing on Friday afternoon. The court refused bail, and he is scheduled to appear before Kempsey Local Court on Wednesday, 20 January 2027.

The investigation is being handled by officers from the Mid North Coast Police District, who are working to establish the complete circumstances surrounding the woman's death.

Forensic investigators are expected to examine the evidence collected from the property, including the seized knife. Investigators may also consider witness statements and other evidence as they continue building their case.

The incident has raised serious concerns about domestic violence and the safety of older people in residential settings.

Domestic violence-related deaths can involve complex investigations, particularly when authorities need to establish the circumstances of an alleged assault and the relationship between the people involved.

Police have not released further personal details about the woman or the accused man.

The case is now progressing through the criminal justice system, where the allegations will be examined in court.

The latest announcement marks an important development in the investigation, with the accused formally charged one day after emergency services discovered the woman's body.

The allegations remain before the court, and the accused is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.