DETECTIVES door-knocked homes while forensics officers combed a crime scene as they try to piece together how a woman was found dead in a Hunter Valley home hours after a police welfare check.
It's been revealed officers were called to a property on Sydney Street at Muswellbrook twice - and had detained another woman for "behaving in an erratic manner" at a club in between - when a woman in her 60s was found dead on Monday night.
Police and council workers had the residential block cordoned off well into the afternoon on Tuesday, October 31, and were not allowing anyone in.
Officers swarmed the area and detectives were seen talking to neighbours inside the crime scene and canvassing surrounding homes.
Forensics officers went back and forth from the home, before the woman's body was removed from the scene on Tuesday.
The State Crime Command's homicide squad had been called in to help investigate the suspicious death under Strike Force Llangollen.
Police have remained tight-lipped about the nature of the woman's injuries and her cause of death has not yet been determined, but said there appeared to have been "some kind of physical intervention", or struggle.
A resident who lived on the opposite side of Sydney Street told the Newcastle Herald they had got to know the woman after moving in months ago and had spent much of the night speaking with police.
The resident said they believed the woman lived there alone.
A Sydney Street business confirmed to the Herald detectives had requested external CCTV footage from shops along the stretch of road as part of the investigation.
The operation saw uniformed police, detectives, homicide squad officers and forensic specialists, in marked and unmarked vehicles, swoop on the street.
Muswellbrook Shire Council staff had roadblocks and a detour in place, and the scene drew attention from passersby.
The woman whose body was found inside the home had not yet been formally identified on Tuesday afternoon.
The circumstances of the police response will be examined as part of a critical incident investigation being carried out by Port Stephens and Hunter police, which will be subject to an independent review.
Northern Region Commander Scott Tanner fronted the press on Tuesday to detail how a series of events which unfolded on Monday, October 30, led to the gruesome discovery of the woman's body.
Officers were first called to a Sydney Street home about 7.20am on Monday in connection with a concern for welfare, and spoke with a 52-year-old woman before leaving the scene a short time later.
Almost 12 hours later, about 7pm, police were called to a licensed club in Muswellbrook and detained a 52-year-old woman who was "suffering a mental health episode" and "behaving in an erratic manner".
She was in a mental health facility on Tuesday, police said.
Officers were then called back to the Sydney Street home amid concerns for another woman's welfare.
"About 8.30pm last night police were called back to the original Muswellbrook address where they located the body of a woman believed to be in her 60s," Acting Assistant Commissioner Tanner said.
"That matter is now under the investigation of the homicide squad."
Police were on Tuesday looking into the nature of the relationship between the deceased woman and the woman that was detained at the venue, but Assistant Commissioner Tanner said they were known to each other.
Sydney Street remained closed at 4pm on Tuesday as police continued to work at the scene.
Anyone with information has been urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
- Support is available for those who may be distressed. Phone Lifeline 13 11 14; beyondblue 1300 224 636; 1800-RESPECT 1800 737 732.
