Police in Sydney, Australia have appealed to locals for help after being stumped by the mysterious deaths of two sisters from Saudi Arabia.
The women, identified as Asra Abdullah Alsehli, 24, and Amaal Abdullah Alsehli, 23, were found dead in their beds on 7 June, with no signs of injuries to their bodies, and no evidence of a break-in.
Two months later, investigating officers are still baffled by the sisters' 'unusual' and 'suspicious' deaths.
Advert
After letters and bills started to pile up outside the front door, and three months' worth of rent went unpaid, police visited Asra and Amaal's Canterbury apartment.
When they made their way in, police realised that the two women had been laying dead, in their separate bedrooms, for weeks.
Despite the setting up a Strike Force to do extensive research on the case, detectives have discovered very little about the women, who moved to Sydney from Saudi Arabia back in 2017.
Advert
It's understood that the two ladies, who worked as traffic controllers and studied at a vocational education school, had sought asylum in Australia - though investigating officers have not said why.
While neighbours have told local media that the women mostly kept to themselves, their building manager, Michael Baird, has claimed that the sisters seemed almost paranoid in their final months.
Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, Mr Baird claimed that the sisters had asked him to look back over the building's security footage not too long ago, as they were worried that their food deliveries were being tampered with in some way.
Back in March, Mr Baird claims he had called for police to stop by the sisters' apartment to check on them, but officers noted nothing out of the ordinary.
Advert
.png)
But when Mr Baird went to check on Asra and Amaal for himself, he claimed that they behaved like "two little sparrows... scared of something."
After struggling to determine the cause of death, police called on the public for help.
Speaking at a press conference in July, Detective Inspector Claudia Allcroft admitted that authorities could find very little information on the sisters.
Advert
"We’re appealing for information because we don’t know a lot about the girls", she announced.
"Our investigation is ongoing, and in consultation with the coroner, we have decided to release their names and have appealed for information."
She went on to explain that officers had only spoken to two people who were known to the women so far. There is also "nothing to suggest" that the sisters' family should be looked at as suspects.
"The girls were 23 and 24 years old and died together in their home," she told press.
Advert
"We don’t know the cause of death, and it’s unusual because of their age and the nature of the matter."
She concluded: "The Burwood community is a small and close community, and we hope that someone may be able to assist our investigators - either through sightings, or those who knew the sisters and may have some information on their movements prior to their death."
While police have kept quiet on certain aspects of the investigation, local reports have suggested that there could be something darker behind the sisters' deaths.
Some publications suggest that the women had fled Saudi Arabia because of its conservative Islamic ideals, outlawing the likes of homosexuality or anti-religious views.
Others have reported that eldest sister Asra had taken out a restraining order on a man back in 2019, and had reported a strange man lingering outside of their apartment earlier this year.
Police have yet to comment on these reports.
Anyone who has any information is urged to contact Burwood police station on (02) 9745 8499 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
If you have a story you want to tell, send it to UNILAD via [email protected]
Ali Condon