Photos taken from inside the bedroom of an old boarding house where two lovers were allegedly slain in Sydney’s south have emerged, just days after a man was charged over the murders.
The bodies of Steven Finlay, 52, and his 32-year-old partner Mitch Watson, were found at a Cleveland St boarding house in Redfern just before midnight on Saturday after emergency services were called to the property for a welfare check.
Police claim one of the victims had been on the phone to triple-zero as emergency services rushed to the scene, but he was found dead when they arrived.
The man accused of murdering the couple, Christopher Bouggas, aged 41, has hired a specialist criminal solicitor to defend him.
Bouggas did not appear at Central Local Court from the cells at Mascot police station when his matter was briefly mentioned on Tuesday.
Strike Force Menlow was quickly set up to investigate the incident, and Mr Bouggas was arrested at a Redfern unit on Cleveland St on Monday afternoon.
It is believed he was also a tenant of the boarding house.
Photos of inside the boarding house emerged on Tuesday, showing chaotic scenes and hoarder-like conditions.
Inside the bedroom where the alleged murder happened, furniture, random homewares and suitcases were seen piled up to the ceiling.
Mr Bouggas was taken to Mascot police station and charged with two counts of murder and refused bail to appear at court on Tuesday.
He did not appear via AVL on Tuesday when solicitor Mostafa Daoudie mentioned the matter.
A police prosecutor said the charges were strictly indictable and he would be seeking an eight-week adjournment for a brief of evidence to be served.
The prosecutor also applied for a forensic procedure application, allowing police to collect evidence such as photographs and swabs from the crime scene.
The matter was adjourned to March 29.
Police allege the three men were known to each other, while one of the two men found dead had been on the phone to triple-0 as emergency services made their way to the scene.
“We do believe that one of the victims was on the phone to triple-0 while police were en route to assist,” Detective Superintendent Rodney Hart told reporters.
Superintendent Hart said it was a “difficult and confronting scene”, with both victims suffering significant injuries.
He did not elaborate on any specifics.
“A post-mortem is scheduled for today and tomorrow and that hopefully will give xjmtzywus more of an idea of what the injuries are and the cause of death,” he said.
“We do know that both males suffered significant injuries, but that’s all I can say at this stage.
“We don’t believe that a firearm was used in this crime.”
The boarding house is two terrace units side-by-side and it has been converted, with access from the rear.
Police remained in place at both the front and back exits on Tuesday morning.
