A 51-year-old woman whose body was found in an Alice Springs riverbed is the Northern Territory's first alleged victim of domestic violence homicide, police say.
The woman's 49-year-old partner had been arrested and remained in custody, Acting Assistant Commissioner Peter Malley said on Monday.
The man had contacted police at 12.20am on Monday and advised that the woman was unresponsive near the Todd River.
Police arrived 11 minutes later and attempted CPR, but the woman was declared dead a short time later.
"We are treating the assault as a homicide and the crime scene is still open," Mr Malley said.
"(It's alleged) a weapon has been used, it wasn't an edged weapon but it was a weapon."
It was the first domestic violence homicide in the NT this year and the start to the year had been "horrible", Mr Malley said.
