Two men have been arrested in connection with the alleged kidnapping and murder of 85-year-old Chris Baghsarian, whose remains were discovered near a golf course in Pitt Town, northwest of Sydney, on Tuesday.
Police arrested a 29-year-old man in Kenthurst and a 24-year-old man in Castle Hill on Wednesday morning, according to New South Wales Police. Both men are currently being questioned at Riverstone Police Station, and charges have not yet been laid.
The arrests follow an eleven-day search for Mr. Baghsarian, who was abducted from his North Ryde home on February 13. Authorities believe the kidnapping was a case of mistaken identity, with the intended target being a relative of Sydney businessman Dimitri Stepanyan, who resides on the same street as the victim.
“I speak for not only the police but the public in general, that we’re outraged at this happening and the recklessness of these people,” Detective Acting Superintendent Andrew Marks stated. “We will endeavour and leverage every resource we have to ID those responsible and bring them before the courts.”
Police had repeatedly appealed to the kidnappers, informing them they had taken the wrong man and urging them to release Mr. Baghsarian, who required daily medication. The discovery of human remains near the Pitt Town golf course prompted a forensic examination to confirm the identity, with investigators suspecting the remains belong to Mr. Baghsarian.
The family of Mr. Baghsarian released a statement through NSW Police requesting privacy as they “continue attempting to come to terms with this incident.”
Authorities have described the actions of the alleged kidnappers as reckless, not only for abducting the wrong individual but also for targeting a family member. Detective Acting Superintendent Brad Abdy previously labelled similar actions – targeting relatives of rivals – as “ridiculously disgusting offences.”
The arrests come amid a broader investigation into escalating gang conflict and the targeting of family members, as evidenced by the recent shooting of former NRL player Matt Utai outside his home in Greenacre. Police believe Utai was caught in the crossfire of his son’s alleged criminal associations.
