An Australian former kickboxer has been charged with murder by police after his partner was discovered dead in a hotel room.
Shirley So, 50, was discovered deceased with stab wounds in a room at the Pullman Hotel in Penrith, Sydney. Emergency services were called early afternoon this past Sunday after reports of a disturbance.
Her body was found in the same room as Darren John Berry, a former kickboxer who notably competed on the K-1: Battle Of The Anzacs 1 card back in 2004. Berry, who went by the moniker “Hacksaw” during his fighting days, had life-threatening wounds to his arms and hands.
Berry, described by police as having an on-and-off relationship with So, was airlifted to Westmead Hospital in critical condition. On Tuesday, the 53-year-old was officially charged with murder at a bedside hearing at the hospital, where he remains under police guard.
The former fighter was refused bail and was set to appear before Penrith Local Court on Wednesday.
While there had been no history of domestic violence between Berry and So, the Daily Mail has reported that “Hacksaw” has a history of AVOs (apprehended violence orders) being taken out against him.
Two of those related to a former partner of his in 2017 and 2019, while a third AVO issued in 2019 related to a man.
News reports out of Australia have described Berry as an MMA fighter but only kickboxing bouts appear on sites with historical records of combat sports events such as Tapology.
Berry has frequently shared combat sports content on his Facebook page, in addition to a history of anti-vax posts.
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