The bodies of two Saudi sisters, who were mysteriously found decomposing in their home, were secretly flown to Saudi Arabia, authorities have confirmed.
Meanwhile, the investigation into the deaths of Asra Abdullah Alsehli, 24, and Amaal Abdullah Alsehli, 23, at their unit in Canterbury, south-west Sydney, has taken a different turn.
Officials have requested a second toxicology report to determine what exactly may have caused the duo’s sudden deaths.
A NSW Police spokeswoman told Chron Australia that a sample was sent to a specialist toxicology facility “for further analysis and testing”.
Asra Abdullah Alsehli, 24, and her younger sister Amaal Abdullah Alsehli, 23, who were found dead at their unit in Canterbury on June 7
A previous toxicological report was considered inconclusive.
The sisters’ bodies were found on June 7 in separate bedrooms in their unit. They are believed to have died six weeks ago in the previous month.
Detectives investigate multiple lines of investigation, including a possible suicide pact or nefarious act by an unknown assailant.
The sisters had applied for asylum in Australia, worked as traffic controllers and studied at TAFE.
They had raised concerns about their safety with their building manager before their deaths and reported seeing a man acting “oddly” outside.
The latest developments were first reported by SBS News. The police investigation into her death is ongoing.
“The investigation is ongoing and police are continuing to seek information from the public,” a spokeswoman said.
EXCLUSIVE: GRAPHIC CONTENT WARNING – Chron Australia goes to the home where the bodies of two Saudi sisters have been decomposing for a month – after receiving a grim warning on the front door
By Charlotte Karp for Chron Australia
The “luxurious” apartment where two young Saudi sisters rotted away for a month is open to the public with a $40 rent increase – but the properties can do little to mask the acrid stench of death.
Asra Abdullah Alsehli, 24, and Amaal Abdullah Alsehli, 23, died a month before their bodies were found on June 7 in separate bedrooms at their home in Canterbury, south-west Sydney.
Two months after the grisly discovery, her death remains a mystery.
No one was arrested and police are still unsure how two apparently healthy young women died in the same place at the same time and lay undetected for a month.
Their remains were only uncovered during a police social security check conducted because they owed the landlord about $5,000 in unpaid rent after failing to turn over their $480 a week since mid-March.
Unable to make up for the huge financial loss, the owner gave the unit a fresh coat of paint, installed new floorboards, raised the price to $540 a week, and opened it to the public on Saturday morning.
Crime scenes usually result in discounts, but the realtor said most potential renters are interested because surrounding units cost about $580 a week.
Before entering the property, prospective renters received the same verbal explanation from the agent: “Some people died there, but everything has been cleaned and everything is fine”.
‘I just have to tell you that.’
The news came as no surprise to anyone – most weren’t interested in signing the lease.
Upon entering the unit on a relatively warm winter morning, the sun was streaming through the large balcony doors and bouncing off the tile, white walls and laminate kitchen cabinets – filling the open plan living area with light.
However, there was a strange smell that was becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
At first it was easy enough to wipe the smell off the crime scene as chemical residue, or maybe Pine O Cleen and Windex from the post-examination cleaning flash.
Bottles of chemicals including bleach and other substances are understood to have been discovered next to their bodies, which were found in separate bedrooms – leading detectives to suspect the couple was planning to take their own lives.
Interim toxicology results showed traces of the substances found in the bedrooms also in the women’s bodies, but the cause of death has not yet been confirmed.
But even with fresh air pouring into the apartment through the large balcony doors on Saturday morning, the scent was present – particularly in the two small bedrooms – and there was no smell of bleach or cleaning products.
In fact, the acrid smell, initially difficult to pinpoint, was suddenly unmistakably one of death and decay.
According to the online advertisement, the property has “generous balconies” that allow for “airflow.”
“Disturbing” was an understatement and “eerie” wasn’t the right word. It felt like desperation.
The front bedroom had its own balcony door overlooking Canterbury Road – a busy thoroughfare where lorries, buses, cars and people flock by 24 hours a day.
Thousands of humble people would have walked by between the Alsehli sisters’ deaths in May and their discovery in June – unaware of the heartbreaking situation that lay behind a few inches of plaster.
The property listing described the unit as a place that “ensures living in seamless and luxurious comfort”.
In reality, the bedrooms were cramped and awkwardly shaped – trying to squeeze a double bed into either would be a challenge, although one was ensuite and both had built-ins, albeit small.
The kitchen indeed featured stainless steel appliances and, as the listing promised, there were “reconstituted stone benches, a mirrored splashback and subtle leaf motif details that keep the lines clean yet natural for a timeless contemporary look”.
“Marble-effect tiling” and “frameless showers” were also on display, although it was questionable whether they were “paired with elegant details that enforce the easy-going, layered vibe.”
The vibe was definitely layered, but maybe not in the way the owner intended.
Although the list featured a disclaimer stating the sisters’ deaths “was not an accidental crime and posed no potential risk to the community,” it’s hard to imagine living and sleeping soundly there.
Not out of fear that the new resident would suffer the same fate, but because inside it just felt like a tragedy.
At least the new tenant would get a headache just from the smell – stepping out into the fresh air after the viewing was a relief.
The smell will no doubt cease to linger over time – at that point, it might even be a nice place to live.