22-year-old Rodney Harvey and 26-year-old Ammielee Douglass were arrested on Wednesday and both went before a magistrate on charges of murder on Thursday.

Neither applied for bail but both put in requests through their legal representative for psychiatric assessments.

Both are scheduled to appear in court again on December 12.

Mr Harvey also had a charge of aggravated break and enter.

Chifley LAC Crime Manager Detective Inspector Luke Rankin said police allege Mr Whiteley was stabbed during a break and enter.

It was not obvious at the time police discovered Mr Whiteley’s body how he died as it had been there a long time.

Mr Rankin said the last known contact was on August 7 when releasing the deceased man’s identity on September 14.

A post mortem revealed the man sustained stab wounds.

Local detectives, assisted by the State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad, established Strike Force Armor to investigate the circumstances surrounding Mr Whiteley’s suspected murder.

As a result of their investigation, police arrested Mr Harvey and Ms Douglass at a home in Wallerawang on Wednesday. 

The pair were taken to Lithgow Police Station where they were charged with murder.

Mr Harvey and Ms Douglass, aside from their murder charge, were also arrested on two counts of unregistered firearms and possessing ammunition without a licence.

Neil Whiteley, at the time of the murder investigation launch, said his brother lived a reclusive life.

“Chris was a retired school teacher and he had been a National Serviceman,” he said.

“His interests were camping, bushwalking, motor racing and railways. Lithgow gave him the opportunity to pursue all of these activities.

“He lived a quiet, solitary life and would never harm anyone.”