Bordertown, SA: Couple dead in SA murder-suicide identified as Shafeeqa and Mirza Husseini
The bodies of 41-year-old Shafeeqa Husseini and her husband 47-year-old Mirza were found by police inside a Melvyn St home in Bordertown – about 270km southast of Adelaide – during a welfare check shortly after 11pm on Sunday.
SA Police confirmed the man murdered his wife before taking his own life.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Acting Assistant Commissioner Cath Hilliard said Mr Husseini was known to police 'through a previous domestic violence incident earlier in the year, and that involved the deceased woman'.
'However, they were no current court imposed restrictions in relation to the individuals preventing any contact between the couple,' she said.
Police said the couple's six children were not home at the time of the incident.
Ms Hilliard said a relative made the welfare check, saying they had been in contact with the couple during the day, then lost contact.
Residents told The Adelaide Advertiser the family had moved to Australia from Afghanistan about 15 years ago, with some family members working for JBS Meatworks.
Neighbour Merrilyn Newman said the family had adult children, some of whom were attending university.
'It's devastating, it's really sad - especially because they are from so far away, so as far as relatives and someone to lean on, you haven't got it,' she told the masthead.
The Bordertown Islamic Community Centre manager Adeel Khan said Shafeeqa was a 'good lady' who loved to help community events with her food.
'She was a very good cook, so we used to request her and she used to cook food for our community,' Mr Khan said.
He said the small and tight-knit community was horrified by the news.
'It is really sad news … whatever has happened is not good, it's a massive shock,' he said.
'It's a small community, everyone knows each other … so we will be missing these guys.'
Originally published as Couple dead in SA murder-suicide identified as Shafeeqa and Mirza Husseini
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