Two young boys have been left orphaned after their father killed himself as police searched the family home in connection with the suspected murder of their mother.
Sheep farmer Michael Burdon, 41, died by suicide while police and the boys, aged one and three, were inside the house near Manna Hill, South Australia, close to the NSW border.
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Missing SA mother feared to have been murdered
The 23-year-old mother-of-two's husband took his own life when police told him his wife was likely murdered.
The death follows the disappearance of the farmer's wife, Tanja Ebert, 23, who disappeared nine days ago and is believed to have been murdered.
Officers went to the remote sheep station on Wednesday to conduct an investigation into Ms Ebert's fate, police said in a statement.
An independent South Australian Police Commissioner's Inquiry has begun into Mr Burdon's death.
No one else was injured and the boys are in the care of relatives.
"The man's children are safe and well with family members," the police statement said. "A report will also be prepared for the State Coroner."
Ms Ebert was last seen near Roseworthy, north of Adelaide, last week, as she drove home from Adelaide with her husband and boys to the family's property, about 150 kilometres west of Broken Hill.
Detective Superintendent Des Bray said Mr Burdon told detectives she became agitated in the car and expressed a desire not to return to the family home.
Mr Burdon reported she then got out of the car and walked off.
Superintendent Bray said police now believed Ms Ebert had been killed.
"In the absence of anything to indicate that Tanja is alive, we're treating it as a murder investigation," he said.
"We're hoping for a miracle and she walks through the door, but sadly we don't think that will happen."
Her husband did not report her missing at the time. Police were only notified of her disappearance by a family member two days later.
Ms Ebert arrived in Australia from her native Germany as a 19-year-old on a gap year. She met Mr Burdon and they had two children before getting married earlier this year.
Superintendent Bray said it was known Ms Ebert was unhappy in her marriage and had considered leaving.
A search on Wednesday of the area around where she allegedly left the family car did not provide any clues as to her whereabouts.
She was known to be carrying a large amount of cash but left her passport, phone and other belongings behind.
Her family in Germany have been contacted.
❏ Support is available for those who may be distressed by phoning Lifeline 13 11 14; Mensline 1300 789 978; Kids Helpline 1800 551 800; beyondblue 1300 224 636.
AAP