New South Wales police have arrested two men linked to the kidnapping and murder of 85-year-old widower and grandfather Chris Baghsarian. Authorities confirm the incident stemmed from mistaken identity, as the victim was not the intended target during the forcible removal from his North Ryde residence just before 5 a.m. on February 13.
Details of the Abduction
Investigators state the kidnappers targeted a relative of Sydney businessman Dimitri Stepanyan, a convicted armed robber with alleged connections to the Alameddine crime family. CCTV footage captured masked men bundling Baghsarian into an SUV, prompting an immediate large-scale search.
Authorities emphasize that Baghsarian and his family maintain no ties to organized crime groups. They express “a million percent confidence” in the mistaken identity assessment.
Recent Arrests and Searches
On Wednesday, strike force detectives, assisted by the Raptor Squad, executed search warrants at locations in Kenthurst and Castle Hill around 6:30 a.m. The suspects—a 29-year-old and a 24-year-old—were taken to Riverstone Police Station for questioning. No charges have been filed yet as inquiries continue.
Human remains connected to the case have been discovered, advancing the investigation.
Investigation Breakthroughs
Following the abduction, police located a burnt-out grey Toyota Corolla with cloned Victorian plates (DVT 007), believed to be stolen. The vehicle appeared in Glenorie on February 14, Pitt Town at 9:05 p.m., and was set alight in Westmead on February 16. Forensic evidence from the car ties it to a derelict property in Dural, suspected as a kidnappers’ makeshift stronghold.
Images and videos circulating online depict Baghsarian injured and restrained, fueling family concerns amid Sydney’s underworld rumors.
Family’s Heartfelt Statement
The family released a statement expressing devastation: “We are struggling to make sense of the fact that he has been taken and that our family has been caught up in something that has nothing to do with us.”
