A 61-year-old man has just arrived in Sydney to face charges over the abduction, rape and murder of a teenage beauty queen more than 40 years ago.

Bronwynne Richardson, 17, was physically and sexually assaulted before being strangled and drowned near Albury in southern NSW in 1973.

Her murder is the oldest unsolved homicide case in NSW to have resulted in an arrest.

NSW Police homicide commander, Detective Inspector Mick Willing, says two people were suspected in Ms Richardson’s death, but one of them has died.

Police say Ms Richardson was dragged into a car, driven to a reserve, assaulted and thrown into the Murray River.

Her body was found in a nearby lagoon three days later.

Det Insp Willing told journalists in Sydney that he didn’t believe there was a connection between the victim and alleged attacker.

The man is due to appear in Central Local Court on Thursday afternoon after he was extradited from South Australia.

Homicide squad officers travelled to Murray Bridge, southeast of Adelaide, to arrest the man on Wednesday.

In 1990, three men were charged but none was convicted.

The case was reinvestigated in 2008; a $200,000 reward was offered in 2010 for information on the murder.

A coronial inquest in 2011 revealed vital information with the fresh evidence leading to this week’s arrest.

Ms Richardson’s parents were distraught but relieved at the news, Det Insp Willing said.

“The pain of murder and homicide lasts forever,” he said.