Melbourne’s CBD saw sushi chef Wan Lai stabbed by Lauren Darul, who was out on bail, reigniting debate over offender monitoring and bail laws. In Shellharbour, six teenagers and a 39-year-old woman have been charged with the murder of 25-year-old Jack Westren in a violent train station attack.

In Perth, a former soldier admitted killing Rebels bikie Nick Martin, calling it a “community service,” while his alleged employer, David Pye, faces multiple murder charges. Canberra police allege a 78-year-old man was held captive and beaten for three days by a visitor.

Broken Hill farmhand Jet Jai Johnson won an appeal and was released after serving part of his sentence for animal cruelty. Human remains believed to be those of missing Melbourne woman Lucinda Miller were found three years after her disappearance.

In Canberra, Tshewang Choden was stabbed to death at the National Zoo by colleague Jude Wijesinghe, who remains pathologically infatuated with her. Brisbane jury found Za’id Abdus Samad guilty of stabbing his uncle Abdul Basith Mohammed in a planned ambush; he’ll be eligible for parole in 2038.

Homicide investigations continue in Langwarrin and Armadale after two men were killed in separate incidents. In Renown Park, police charged a man after discovering two loaded handguns, while Adelaide authorities probe an alleged arson at a butcher shop that injured several staff.

In Melbourne’s St Kilda, two teens were slashed with machetes outside Luna Park; the offenders remain on the run. Meanwhile, Christopher Mark Jordan will stand trial in February 2026 for the murder of 14-year-old Tasmanian teen Shyanne-Lee Tatnell.