An Iranian asylum-seeker living in Sydney on a bridging visa fatally stabbed his flatmate while he was sleeping, court papers allege.
Afghan-born Javad Heydari, 35, appeared in the dock at Burwood Local Court on Friday to face allegations he murdered 41-year-old Mohammed Ali Nabizada at their Berala apartment in the early hours of Thursday morning.
He's also been charged with wounding another flatmate, 26-year-old Rauf Hassani, with intent to murder.
Dressed in a police-issued jumpsuit, an unshaven Heydari watched on in silence on Friday as Magistrate Christopher Longley formally refused him bail.
After his court appearance, Heydari was taken to Westmead Hospital so doctors could swab him for further forensic evidence after his lawyer, Anthony Goodridge, told the court it "may be exculpatory, at least in some degree".
"It's a rather strange set of circumstances, I can just say that," Mr Goodridge said.
Meanwhile, Mr Hassani has been granted an interim apprehended violence order (AVO) protecting him against his former flatmate.
Mr Hassani remains in hospital after undergoing emergency surgery for a stab wound that punctured his liver.
Documents tendered to the court in support of the AVO application allege Mr Nabizada died after Heydari stabbed him "in the heart" with a kitchen knife about 2am on Thursday.
Seconds earlier he had allegedly stabbed Mr Hassani in the torso as he lay in bed in the room that all three men shared.
"(Mr Hassani) has started to yell and scream out," the papers said.
When police arrived they allegedly found the accused "covered in blood and still holding the kitchen knife".
The papers said Heydari made "full admissions to the offence" after he was arrested and taken into custody.
Police performed CPR on Mr Nabizada but he was declared dead at hospital.
It's believed Heydari had only been living at the apartment for three weeks and was an "associate" of the man he allegedly killed.
He is next due to appear in court via audio-visual link on Monday.
