A second man has been arrested over a ‘gruesome’ stabbing murder they say was an alleged drug deal gone wrong.
Officers found the body of a Malaysian man, 29, with multiple stab wounds about 5pm on Monday at Croydon Park, in Sydney’s inner-west.
It’s understood he had lived at the home with his wife and children for just a few months prior, according to shocked neighbours.
Mohammad Sofwan Bin Mustafha, 32, was arrested at the scene and taken to hospital for assessment under police guard.
He was later charged with murder and faced Burwood Local Court on Tuesday.
He did not apply for bail and will return to the same court on July 30.
A second man, aged 36, who police had been searching for, was arrested on Tuesday night.
Police had earlier appealed for public assistance by releasing images of the man, saying he was last seen on the street where the stabbing occurred.
Detectives continued to scour the crime scene in Sydney’s inner-west on Tuesday
The home where a Malaysian national was found stabbed to death remained cordoned off
The man charged with murder had attempted to flee the crime scene when police attended but was quickly apprehended, Superintendent Christine McDonald said.
‘This is a gruesome crime,’ she told reporters on Monday night.
‘The man’s injuries are horrific, and what we know from very preliminary investigations is that … we believe this is a drug deal gone horribly wrong.
‘We didn’t give him any time to run away. We were here too quick.’
On Tuesday morning, police were crawling over the quiet street as they attempted to piece together what happened.
The victim, who has not yet been formally identified, was found with multiple stab wounds to his neck.
Police were unsure of who lived at the house, who had attended before the fatal incident and the reason they were meeting, Supt McDonald said.
She did not detail why police believed the incident had stemmed from an alleged drug deal.
A second man has been arrested over a young dad’s death inside a Croydon Park home
Inquiries into the Malaysian national’s death continue
‘We don’t believe it to be domestic-related, we don’t believe it to be gang-related, but we need to work through all those steps of the investigation,’ she said.
‘The community down here would be shocked that something … so brutal has happened in their street.’
A neighbour told Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday the dead man lived with his wife and children at the Croydon Park home for just a few months before the alleged attack.
‘The neighbourhood is feeling very unsettled. This is a really, really lovely quiet street,’ she said.
‘We do all know each other. Pretty much, we all know each other except for this particular house.
‘They haven’t lived here that long so we don’t know much about them.’
