Two men arrested for murder of 85-year-old Chris Baghsarian who was mistakenly kidnapped
Police confirm victim was not intended target of what appears to be organized crime-related attack
Human remains found near golf course confirmed to be Baghsarian through forensic testing
More arrests expected as police believe others were involved in the kidnapping and murder
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Australian police have arrested two men, aged 24 and 29, in Sydney for the murder of 85-year-old grandfather Chris Baghsarian, who was mistakenly kidnapped from his North Ryde home in a pre-dawn raid on February 13, 2025, in what authorities believe was a case of mistaken identity targeting someone with links to organized crime. The arrests came a day after human remains were discovered near a golf course on the city outskirts, with forensic testing confirming the remains belonged to Baghsarian. Police have expressed confidence that they will charge both suspects, who were previously known to authorities for minor offenses, while indicating that more arrests are likely as investigators believe others were involved in the alleged kidnapping and murder. The victim's family, who described their ordeal as a 'surreal nightmare' after videos of an injured Baghsarian circulated online, have welcomed the news of the arrests while requesting privacy during this difficult time. Authorities had made several public pleas for the safe return of the widower, who had health issues and required daily medication, maintaining they were 'a million percent confident' the wrong man had been taken, as neither Baghsarian nor his family had any connections to organized crime.
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and numerous smaller islands. It has a total area of 7,688,287 km2 (2,968,464 sq mi), making it the sixth-largest country in the world and the largest in Ocea...
Unlawful abduction of someone and holding them captive
Kidnapping is the illegal relocation (abduction) and confinement of a person against their will, and is a crime in many jurisdictions. Kidnapping may be accomplished by use of force or fear, or a victim may be enticed into confinement by fraud or deception. Kidnapping is distinguished from false imp...
Sydney is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and is the most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about 80 kilometres (50 mi) from the Pacific Ocean in the east to the Blue Mountains in the west, and about 8...
Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification or valid excuse committed with the necessary intention as defined by the law in a specific jurisdiction. This state of mind may, depending upon the jurisdiction, distinguish murder from other forms of unlawful homicide, such as ma...
Australia police make arrests over alleged murder of grandfather mistakenly kidnapped 3 hours ago Share Save Lana Lam Sydney Share Save Australian police have arrested two men for the murder of a Sydney grandfather they say was mistakenly kidnapped, a day after human remains were found. Widower Chris Baghsarian, 85, was abducted from his North Ryde home in a pre-dawn raid on 13 February. Police say he was not the intended target of the alleged attack, which local media have reported may have been aimed at a family with links to organised crime. On Wednesday, two men, aged 24 and 29, were arrested for questioning, as forensic testing confirmed the body located near a golf course on the city outskirts belonged to Baghsarian. Police have said they expect to charge both men, who were previously known to authorities for minor matters. More arrests are likely, investigators added, as they believe others were involved in the alleged kidnapping and murder. Baghsarian's family have welcomed news of the arrests, and requested the media respect their privacy. In the days after the kidnapping, police made several pleas for those who had taken the octogenarian to safely return him as he had health issues and needed daily medication. Authorities said they were "a million percent confident" the wrong man had been taken - neither Baghsarian nor his family had any links to organised crime. As videos of an injured Baghsarian circled online, his family described their ordeal as a surreal nightmare. "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," they said in a statement shortly after the kidnapping. Police have said the discovery of two burnt out cars and a raid on an abandoned property in Dural led them to an area in Pitt Town where they on Monday found the remains. Police refused to provide any details on the condition the body was found in, but said an autopsy would be carried o...
