The man accused of murdering a school teacher at Cranebrook in 2022 has been found dead in jail.
It is understood Ashley Gaddie took his own life yesterday at the Clarence Correctional Facility.
He was found by officers in a single cell and could not be revived.
“A 35-year-old man has died at Clarence Correctional Centre on Saturday, 6 April 2024,” a spokesperson for Clarence Correctional Centre said.
“The man was found unresponsive in his room by staff and was pronounced deceased at 16.04pm.
“Serco, Corrective Services NSW, and NSW Police are investigating the incident. All deaths in custody are subject to a coronial inquest.”
His case had returned to Penrith Local Court briefly on Friday.
Gaddie had been charged with the murder of 31-year-old Dannielle Finlay-Jones.
Police allege that the pair met on an online dating application and had been on two dates prior to the evening of December 17, 2022 when they attended a social event in Marsden Park where Finlay-Jones introduced Gaddie as her new partner.
Before midnight they allegedly left in a rideshare vehicle to stay the evening at a friend’s residence in Cranebrook.
Finlay-Jones was last seen alive when she entered a spare bedroom with Gaddie.
Gaddie has been behind bars since being arrested several days after the alleged murder.
The Department of Communities and Justice has been contacted for comment.
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Troy Dodds
Troy Dodds is the Weekender's Managing Editor and Breaking News Reporter. He has more than 20 years experience as a journalist, working with some of Australia's leading media organisations. In 2023, he was named Editor of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.