Murdered woman's brother-in-law charged with her 1990 killing

NSW Police have charged the brother-in-law of stabbed Sydney woman Rita Caleo with her murder more than 20 years after she was killed.

Mrs Caelo’s husband’s brother, Gerard Caleo, was arrested at Sydney International Airport in August this year in connection with her murder.

The 39-year-old mother-of-two was stabbed to death in her Double Bay home in August 1990, 10 months after her brother Dr Michael Chye was shot dead in nearby Woollahra.

Dr Chye was shot while sitting in his car in his own garage.

Mrs Caleo was stabbed in the stomach in the en-suite of her Double Bay home while her two children slept in the next room. She was killed only two days after a $50,000 reward for information leading to the capture of her brother's killers was offered by NSW Police.

Gerard Caleo had been living in Thailand, and was arrested when he flew into Australia from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

He was today charged with soliciting Mrs Caleo's murder, as well as being an accessory. He will be charged with the murder itself during a court appearance this afternoon, police said.

The murders of Mrs Caleo and Dr Chye attracted intense scrutiny at the time but despite an extensive investigation no arrests were ever made.

The brother and sister were the children of a high-ranking Malaysian police officer and NSW Police have long suspected that there were a number of people involved in their murders.

A spokesperson for the State Crime Command told ninemsn that investigations were ongoing and did not rule out further arrests.

When Caleo was arrested in August, Detective Inspector John Lehmann from the Unsolved Homicide Team said the team would continue to search for the killers of the brother and sister.

“Today’s arrest is of immense significance to the investigation into Mrs Caleo’s death but it is by no means the end of the road for Strike Force Nichola,” Detective Inspector Lehmann said.

“We know there are a number of people who were involved in Mrs Caleo and Dr Chye’s deaths and we are hoping to make more arrests in the future.

“My advice to anyone who was involved in these incidents, even if only by association, is to contact us before we come to you.”