Two men appeared in a Sydney court Thursday, charged with the murder of 85-year-old Chris Baghsarian, whose abduction from his North Ryde home eleven days prior sparked a large-scale police investigation. Gerard Anthony Andrews, 29 and Daniel Stevens, 24, did not apply for bail and are scheduled to reappear in court on April 17, according to authorities.
The arrests followed extensive searches conducted Wednesday at properties in Kenthurst, Castle Hill, and Lake Macquarie, where police seized vehicles, electronics, and clothing. Detectives from the Strike Force investigating Baghsarian’s disappearance, assisted by the Raptor Squad, executed the warrants.
Police allege the abduction was a case of mistaken identity. Acting Superintendent Andrew Marks stated Wednesday, “It’s somebody’s worst nightmare, right? These people need to be held to account for that, and that’s why we are bringing these people before the courts.” Authorities believe Baghsarian was killed at a property in Dural before his body was discovered in bushland near Pitt Town.
Paul McGirr, a lawyer representing Andrews and a former police officer himself, acknowledged the gravity of the allegations but indicated his client was not the primary instigator. “It’s a horrific set of [alleged police] facts that I’ve read,” McGirr told reporters outside Blacktown Local Court. “I have a job to do and it’s very hard at this particular moment for me to do that job.” Andrews appeared via video link, wearing the same white Gucci T-shirt seen in police release footage, and only confirmed he could hear the court proceedings.
The lawyer for Stevens requested antiviral medication for his client, who is reportedly suffering from shingles while in custody at Amber Laurel Correctional Centre. Stevens stated he had not showered in 24 hours.
Investigators are continuing to search for a third individual believed to have been involved in the abduction and murder. Police suspect the intended target of the kidnapping was a relative of Sydney businessman Dimitri Stepanyan, who resided on the same street as Baghsarian. A ransom of AU$50 million (approximately NZ$59.4 million) was reportedly demanded, according to police sources.
Baghsarian’s family, who have requested privacy, described the ordeal as a “nightmare” and remembered him as a “devoted father, brother, uncle and grandfather who would never hurt a fly.”
