A Perth teenager faced court yesterday charged with the alleged murder of a 71-year-old woman in her Swan View home last year.
Police believe the then 17-year-old and an accomplice broke into the home of 71-year-old Odette Fiege in the early hours on Thursday, October 31, 2019, and began ransacking the home.
Police allege that the teenage boy assaulted Mrs. Fiege during the home invasion, resulting in serious facial injuries before the pair stole her car and fled the scene.
Mrs. Feige was found injured in her home the next day and rushed to the hospital, while her blue 2005 Hyundai Tucson was recovered from a property in the suburb of Jane Brook, situated approximately 25km’s east of Perth.
Police soon arrested a 39-year-old man from Jane Brook and the 17-year-old alleged attacker who was charged three counts of aggravated home burglary, theft, and theft of a motor vehicle.
Sadly, Mrs. Feige died only four weeks later on November 29, 2019, as a result of the injuries that she sustained from being assaulted during the burglary.
According to a death notice in The West Australian at the time, Mrs. Feige and her late husband Bruce worked diligently for the welfare of Vietnam veterans.
A WA police spokesperson yesterday confirmed that they would be handing down a murder charge to the teenager as a result of Mrs. Feige’s death.
“Homicide squad detectives have charged a male youth with the murder of 71-year-old woman Odette Feige,” a WA police spokeswoman said.
“It is alleged Ms. Feige’s death was as a result of an incident at her Swan View home that occurred on October 31, 2018.”
The offender, who has since turned 18 but can not be named for legal reasons, made a brief appearance in Perth Children’s Court yesterday morning where the murder charge was read.
The court heard that there was a pending application to move the teenager to an adult jail, but he is still currently being held at the Banksia Hill detention facility for young offenders and will face court again on February 19.
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