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Former partner of Sydney woman Tatiana Dokhotaru charged with ...

Former partner of Sydney woman Tatiana Dokhotaru charged with
Danny Zayat, 28, was arrested this morning, three months after the 34-year-old woman was found dead in her Sydney unit.
By Perry Duffin
Updated August 28, 2023 — 10.05amfirst published at 8.56am
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The partner of Tatiana Dokhotaru, a 34-year-old woman found dead in her Sydney unit, has been charged with her murder, three months after her death.

Danny Zayat, 28, was arrested by detectives from strike force Median at 6am on Monday at a home in St Clair in Sydney’s west.

Senior police were due to provide an update at 11.30am AEST (watch live below).

Video of the arrest shows Zayat, handcuffed and in high-vis workwear, speaking to a group of detectives before being taken to Penrith police station.

He was charged with murder and will front Penrith Local Court later on Monday.

Dokhotaru anonymously called police alleging domestic violence against Zayat just before midnight on May 26.

Grainy CCTV footage was released last week showing a mobile phone being flung from the 22nd floor balcony of her Liverpool unit about the same time.

Police had been unable to find the unit when they responded to the call a few hours later, about 3am on May 27.

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They returned later that evening and found Dokhotaru’s body.

Zayat was not initially charged with her death.

Police said the phone, which had not been recovered, could be key to solving the mystery of her death.

Danny Zayat and Tatiana Dokhotaru.

Danny Zayat and Tatiana Dokhotaru.

“There’s someone out walking the streets now who, we believe, will have information that could help us, or who knows who is actually responsible for Tatiana’s death,” homicide squad Commander Danny Doherty said last week.

Investigators have been flying to Canada to speak to Dokhotaru’s family and friends to piece together details of her life.

A separate critical incident investigation is continuing into the police response to Dokhotaru’s phone call for assistance.

This is being conducted by Fairfield City police area command and will be subject to independent review.

More to come.

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