A man has been sentenced to prison after his former girlfriend was found dead in her apartment in Sydney, Australia, two years ago.
Tatiana Dokhotaru, 30, was discovered in the residence in May 2023, according to abc.net.au, The Sydney Morning Herald and news.com.au. The outlets reported that the finding came roughly 20 hours after she placed a frantic call to police, alleging her ex-boyfriend, Danny Zayat, was trying to kill her.
In the emergency call cited by the outlets, Dokhotaru could be heard telling the dispatcher: “My ex-boyfriend is here and he’s trying to kill me … He’s bashing me.”
Dokhotaru, a fashion entrepreneur, also claimed during the call that Zayat, 31, was stealing her money, per The Sydney Morning Herald and abc.net.au. The outlets, citing the judge’s remarks in court, reported that the call ended when Zayat took her phone and threw it off the balcony.
Authorities said security footage showed Zayat leaving the building with cash, per the outlets.
Because the call cut out, the dispatcher reportedly did not learn which apartment unit Dokhotaru was in — a detail that delayed law enforcement’s response, the outlets reported.
Police were not able to locate or enter the unit until about 20 hours later, when Zayat returned and called emergency dispatch to report that he had found Dokhotaru dead, according to the outlets.
Bodycam footage uploaded by news.com.au shows Zayat crying in front of officers after the discovery — a reaction prosecutors later described in court as “crocodile tears.”
Zayat was convicted of her murder in November 2025, according to The Sydney Morning Herald and abc.net.au.
He also allegedly left a child — then 4 years old — alone in the apartment with Dokhotaru’s body for about 12 hours, according to The Canberra Times. It was not immediately clear whose child it was or whether Zayat faced charges connected to that allegation.
Authorities said Dokhotaru died from a fatal brain hemorrhage caused by blunt force injuries to her head, per The Canberra Times, news.com.au and abc.net.
At Zayat’s sentencing on Friday, Dec. 19, a judge sharply rebuked him.
“This large muscular male is standing over a defenseless, diminutive woman having asserted dominance with his fists,” Justice Desmond Fagan said, per The Canberra Times. “It is a picture of cowardice and cruelty.”
Zayat has now been sentenced to 18 years in prison. He will be eligible for parole in 2043, according to The Brisbane Times.
