Woman Charged with Murder in Canberra's Braddon Following Suspicious Death Investigation
A 37-year-old Canberra woman has been formally charged with murder weeks after police discovered a man's body in her Braddon apartment unit under suspicious circumstances. Olivia Kajkic faced the ACT Magistrates Court on Friday, January 30, 2026, where she was charged with the alleged murder of 44-year-old Belconnen man Michael James Jaensch.
Police Investigation and Forensic Evidence Requests
ACT Policing revealed that officers were called to Kajkic's Lowanna Street unit in Braddon around 11:35pm on December 20, 2025, following reports of an injured man. Upon arrival, investigators found Mr Jaensch deceased, with his death immediately treated as suspicious. During Friday's court proceedings, prosecutor Tahlia Drumgold applied for forensic examinations of the accused, seeking a blood sample, buccal swab, fingernail scrapings, fingerprints, and footprints.
The lead detective in the case gave evidence that police also sought a hair sample from Kajkic to compare with another sample recovered from the scene. Legal Aid lawyer Alyssa Zanardo opposed her client providing a blood sample, noting that the 37-year-old had already submitted a sample for toxicology testing as part of the ongoing investigation.
Additional Charges and Court Proceedings
Kajkic faces an additional unrelated charge of attempted murder, relating to allegations that she repeatedly stabbed a different man in her unit on January 5, 2026. The accused is yet to enter pleas to either the murder charge or the attempted murder charge. Observers noted that Kajkic waved to a person sitting in the public gallery as corrections officers escorted her from the courtroom.
The matter was stood down in the court list on Friday morning and scheduled to return later in the day for further proceedings. Police have urged anyone with information about the alleged murder to contact Crime Stoppers, quoting reference number P2408490.
Ongoing Investigation and Community Impact
The case has drawn attention to Canberra's inner-north suburb of Braddon, where police tape surrounded the apartment block following the December incident. The investigation continues as forensic evidence is processed and additional witness statements are gathered. The court will determine the next steps in the legal process as prosecutors build their case against the accused.
This development follows weeks of police work since the initial discovery of Mr Jaensch's body, with investigators treating the death as suspicious from the outset. The case highlights the ongoing work of ACT Policing in investigating serious crimes within the territory's community.
