Indian Origin Melbourne Landlord Charged with Axe Murder of 44-Year-Old Woman

CCTV footage of the moment victim Rajwinder Kaur's son approaches a neighbour for help after making a chilling discovery.

A Melbourne landlord has been charged with the brutal axe murder of his tenant, a 44-year-old mother of Indian descent, inside her family home in Epping. 

Forty-four-year-old Rajwinder Kaur’s life was cut tragically short on Thursday afternoon when police allege her landlord, Jaswinder Gill, 50, attacked her in the rented property on Gottloh Street. The horrifying incident unfolded in less than 30 minutes. Kaur’s family had recently arrived in India.

Gill, from Rockbank, reportedly arrived at the house in a maroon Toyota Camry with its plates removed. Court documents allege he then changed into a white hazmat suit before launching the violent assault.

Victim's Son Rushed To Neighbour For Help

The victim’s teenage son made the chilling discovery, returning from work to find his mother severely injured and bleeding. Distressed and panicked, he rushed to a neighbour’s home for help.

CCTV footage captured the moment the victim’s son knocked on neighbour Ross Albinelli’s door. “Help, my mum’s dead. I don’t know what to do,” Kaur’s son told Albinelli. Emergency services rushed to the scene.

According to the police, Gill left the property dressed in a high-visibility vest just 27 minutes after entering, fleeing the scene in the same Camry.

Gill was arrested and appeared via videolink before Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Saturday, facing a single charge of murder. He did not seek bail and will return to court in February for a committal hearing. 

Prosecutors have requested three months to prepare their evidence, including DNA analysis and police body camera footage, which are expected to play crucial roles in securing a conviction.

Detectives continue to piece together the moments leading up to the unthinkable attack, with a focus on the landlord’s motivations and prior interactions with the victim. Police have alleged that the murder was a targeted and deliberate act.