A man has been charged with murder after the body of a woman with "significant head trauma" was found in a lane in Ballina in northern New South Wales.
Police said they located the body at Holden lane near Cherry Street this afternoon, after the 66-year-old man reported a welfare concern for a woman at Ballina Police Station at 12:30pm.
Richmond Police District Commander Superintendent Scott Tanner said police were treating the death of the woman, believed to be aged 64, as a case of domestic violence.
"It's a matter where these people were in a relationship, and that's how we will be alleging," he said.
Superintendent Tanner said the woman suffered "significant head traumas" and that police did not believe any weapons were involved in her death.
"We'll be canvassing the area and seeing what our forensic specialists come up with."
Detectives from the state's homicide team have been called in to work with the local command to investigate.
The man who made the concern for welfare report was arrested at the police station and charged with murder and breaching an apprehended violence order (AVO).
He has been refused bail to appear at Lismore Local Court on Thursday.
