A man accused of killing his grandmother in a stabbing in Sydney’s eastern suburbs had been taking the weight-loss medication Ozempic and was experiencing mental health problems, a court has heard.
Police and paramedics were called to 90-year-old Valentina Spivak’s unit on Chambers Avenue, Bondi Beach, at 5.15pm on Saturday.
Ms Spivak was found with extensive stab wounds to her torso. Attempts by police to perform CPR were unsuccessful.
Her grandson, Sergei Mitnik, was arrested at the property and taken to Surry Hills police station, where he was charged with domestic violence-related murder.
During Mitnik’s appearance in a bail court on Sunday, his solicitor said the 47-year-old had mental health issues and had been taking Ozempic.
“He states to me that Ozempic had an effect on him as a result of the medication,” solicitor Javid Faiz told the court.
Mr Faiz acknowledged the alleged offence was “extremely serious”, but said he wanted to raise his client’s mental health concerns at the earliest opportunity.
Court documents, seen by The Daily Telegraph, allege Mitnik had been estranged from his grandmother. He allegedly arrived at her home on Saturday and stayed for about an hour before strangling her and stabbing her 19 times.
A man accused of killing an elderly woman in Sydney’s eastern suburbs had been taking Ozempic and was experiencing mental health problems, a court has heard
NSW Police were called to a unit on Chambers Avenue, Bondi Beach, in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, at 5.15pm on Saturday
Sergei Mitnik, who was known to the woman in her 90s, was arrested at the property and taken to Surry Hills police station
He allegedly then called Triple Zero and asked for help “in having a body removed from the location”.
Mitnik allegedly told the operator his grandmother was “being not compliant and unfortunately I have to get an ambulance here”.
According to the documents, Mitnik ended the call and switched off his phone before police arrived. A knife was allegedly found at the scene.
The documents also allege Mitnik had recently spoken with his grandmother by telephone about a Jewish holiday she usually observed by giving money to relatives.
Mr Faiz told the court that Mitnik had an appointment with a psychologist about a month earlier, but it had been cancelled.
The solicitor said he may later seek to have his client transferred to a mental health facility. In the meantime, he asked for Mitnik to be assessed by two psychiatrists.
The police prosecutor said the statement of facts referred to Mitnik making “some admissions”, but contained no details about his mental condition.
Mitnik did not apply for bail, which was formally refused. The judge recommended that he receive any necessary treatment and be provided with medication.
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Mitnik did not apply for bail, which was formally refused
Police have set up a crime scene and launched an investigation
The alleged victim was one of three women who died just hours apart in separate incidents across New South Wales.
Just hours after the death, the body of another woman in her 70s was found at Mole River in the state’s north.
Police were called to reports of a domestic violence incident in the regional district about 9.35pm.
Investigators believe a 37-year-old man entered a property and tried to steal a vehicle before assaulting the 74-year-old resident.
The younger man was arrested and police then went on to search the neighbouring property where they found the body of a woman in her 70s, who is yet to be formally identified.
Part of the house was damaged by fire, police said.
A crime scene has been established at both locations and an investigation launched with help from the homicide squad.
Earlier on Saturday, a 23-year-old woman was found with critical stab wounds inside a home in Wagga Wagga, in southwestern NSW.
Emergency services were called to the home about 11.45am but the woman died at the scene. Police were told a man left the location prior to officers’ arrival.
An 18-year-old man was arrested at the scene and taken to Wagga Wagga police station, but he was later released without charge.
About 8.30pm, a 31-year-old man was arrested at a home and taken to Wagga Wagga police station, where he remains.
All three people are believed to have known each other.
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