Chris Baghsarian’s body dumped on Sydney’s outskirts within 40 hours of kidnapping, police suggest | New South Wales
Police believe the body of missing 85-year-old Chris Baghsarian may have been dumped on the outskirts of Sydney just 40 hours after he was abducted due to confusion over identity.
New South Wales police said they found human remains near a golf club in Pitt Town around 8am on Tuesday.
Baghsarian, a widowed grandfather, was abducted from his home in North Ryde just after 5am on Friday, February 13.
Initial investigations revealed that he was not the intended target and had been kidnapped in a case of mistaken identity.
Sign up: AÜ Breaking News email
On Monday, police said forensic evidence linking Baghsarian was found in a burnt-out car in Westmead and officers later searched woodland in Glenorie.
Acting Detective Andrew Marks said investigators found human remains on Pitt Town Bottoms Road Tuesday morning.
The car involved, a gray Toyota Corolla, was seen in Glenorie on Saturday night (February 14) and then in Pitt Town at 9.05pm.
“The gray Toyota was in that area at 9.05pm on Saturday… two weeks ago. It’s very close to the Lynwood golf course. We would urge anyone who was in that area at the time and may have seen that car or was acting suspiciously in that area to contact police,” Marks said on Tuesday.
“We are all outraged that this could happen to an innocent man.”
The Corolla was set on fire in Westmead late on Monday (February 16). Marks urged the public to share any images they may have of Toyota.
Marks said Monday that officers found evidence inside the car linked to an abandoned and derelict property in Dural where Baghsarian was believed to be held.
Police raided the Dural property on Thursday evening and later said it was used as a “temporary stronghold by the kidnappers”.
Baghsarian’s family said last week they were “living through a nightmare” and that the 85-year-old’s abduction “felt surreal”.
“Our family is living a nightmare we never thought possible,” relatives said in a statement last Tuesday. “We are having a hard time understanding that she was kidnapped and our family is involved in something that has nothing to do with us.”
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported that the intended target may have been a relative of a man with links to a reputed crime family in Sydney.
Marks said he could not comment further on the investigation into the alleged perpetrators.
“I have confidence in the abilities of the investigators. If there is evidence to identify those responsible… we will identify them and bring them to court,” he said.
