Jude Wijesinghe, an employee of the National Zoo and Aquarium, is accused of killing a woman within the zoo in Canberra.
During a hospital bedside hearing today, ACT Police charged the 29-year-old with one count of murder and denied him bail.
When a 29-year-old lady was discovered dead at the National Zoo and Aquarium in the west of the city at around 12:50 p.m. yesterday, he was detained yesterday afternoon and taken to the hospital under police protection.
The storage at the back of the kitchen contained her body.
After it was discovered, Wijesinghe was taken into custody and sent to the hospital with wounds that appeared to have been self-inflicted. In April, he is scheduled to appear in court.
Police experts are still investigating the crime scene forensically today.According to Detective Superintendent Hall O’Meagher, police believe the woman and Wijesinghe were coworkers, but they are still looking into potential romantic connections.
At the site, a knife was discovered. According to a statement from the zoo, it has closed today “in respect of all those affected directly or indirectly” and will reopen tomorrow.
“The owners, management and staff of Jamala Wildlife Lodge and the National Zoo and Aquarium would like to express their condolences to the families of those affected by Monday’s tragic events,” said a statement.
“They also want to convey their condolences to all of the personnel, many of whom have been deeply impacted by this incident.
“They also like to thank the staff members who, in the midst of a terrible situation, exhibited extraordinary fortitude and compassion.
“I also want to express my gratitude to everyone of the friends, family, workers, visitors, and members as well as the general public for their kind words and encouraging remarks.
“Due to the observation that zoo employees would rather be at work, the zoo will reopen to the public tomorrow at 9.30 a.m.
“While employees have the choice to work or not, we anticipate that all regular services will be offered.
“Jamala staff have generally been significantly affected by the events and Jamala will remain shut until 30th December and will reopen subject to staff sentiments and availability.”
