NSW man accused of murdering 76-year-old in house fire dies in hospital

A man accused of murdering a 76-year-old woman, whose body was found after a house fire in NSW's Hunter, has died while in custody.

Ronald John Reeves, 70, was charged with domestic violence-related murder in July 2018 after the woman's remains were found inside a burnt-out Raymond Terrace property following reports of an explosion and a fire.

Reeves had previously lived in the Rosemount Drive home, NSW Police said at the time.

Investigators had also been looking into a head-on crash on the Pacific Highway, within an hour of the fire, involving Reeves' Nissan X-Trail crossing to the other side of the road and hitting a southbound B-double truck.

Reeves, then 69, was injured in the 1.20am collision and was taken to John Hunter Hospital under police guard.

He was charged over the woman's death two days after the fatal blaze.

His case was listed before Newcastle Local Court last Wednesday, with proceedings now over due to his death.

The 70-year-old died at Canberra Hospital on May 17, Corrective Services NSW confirmed to AAP on Saturday.

A CSNSW spokeswoman said the department and police are investigating the death and will prepare a report.

"All deaths in custody are subject to a coronial inquest including deaths resulting from natural causes," she said.