Chris Whiteley a retired teacher, moved to Lithgow from Sydney in search of a quiet, country lifestyle in 2004.

Mr Whiteley, 69, kept to himself, only occasionally leaving his weatherboard home on Main Street.

Police went to check on Mr Whiteley's welfare after his relatives had failed to hear from him.

Officers found his body inside his home on September 7.

Police believe he had been dead for some time

A post-mortem examination later revealed he had been stabbed a number of times.

On Wednesday, police arrested AmmieeLee Douglass, 26, and her boyfriend, Rodney Harvey, 22, about 14 kilometres from where Mr Whiteley was killed.

Detectives will allege in court the pair went to Mr Whiteley's home to carry out a break and enter and ended up in a confrontation with him, stabbing him to death.

Mr Whiteley was a hoarder whose home was filled with an array of items, challenging investigators' efforts to work out whether anything was stolen.

However, it is understood police recently found some of Mr Whiteley's property at a home Ms Douglass and Mr Harvey often visited.

The pair have been charged with murder and on Thursday appeared in LIthgow Local Court where they did not apply for bail and it was formally refused.

Neil Whiteley previously described his brother as someone who wouldn't hurt a fly.

"Chris was a quiet, gentle man, who moved to Lithgow because he loved the peaceful community atmosphere," he said last month.

"He kept mostly to himself, and we can't imagine he would have had any enemies or be involved with anyone who could do something like this."

Ms Douglas and Mr Harvey will appear in court again in December.