Tributes for Sydney grandfather allegedly murdered in bungled kidnapping.
Kind, cheerful and gentle, 85-year-old Chris Baghsarian deserved to live out his golden years in peace, surrounded by his children, grandchildren and the community in Sydney’s north.
Instead, police said the widower was abducted from his home on suspicion of mistaken identity on February 13, tortured, killed and his body dumped in a pasture. His suspicious remains were found Tuesday, 11 days after he disappeared.
This case horrified Armenians and the wider society; Many fear Sydney’s gang wars will spread to the suburbs, with violence now engulfing the innocent and vulnerable.
Baghsarian was born in Jerusalem in 1941 and lived with other Christians in the Armenian quarter of the old city. Childhood friend Michael Aprahamian said the two were like brothers and grew up like “one family.”
Speaking to 10News+ before Baghsarian’s remains were found, Aprahamian said the two were members of the Boy Scouts as children and learned respect, kindness and helping each other.
The pair survived the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, going through conflict and turmoil before settling in Sydney among a close-knit group of Armenians.
“We all come from that part of the world, even though we’ve been through wars, many disasters, we’ve been through hell, we still always have a smile on our face,” Aprahamian said.
Bagsaryan, who also uses the Armenian name Khatchig, moved to Australia in his 20s and later married his wife Sona.
They settled in North Ryde and bought a three-bedroom brick house with a tidy lawn and a pool in the backyard. They had two children. A neighbor said that he lived alone after his wife’s death, but that visitors, including children and grandchildren, often stopped by.
He was passionate about photography and was an active member of the Armenian General Benevolent Association, a non-profit organization that organizes and funds educational and cultural programs.
Aprahamian said the community is having a hard time processing what happened.
“Your heart hurts, it’s like a dagger stuck in your heart… He was such a peaceful man,” he said.
“We will miss him very much. He will have a big funeral, the whole community.”
Baghsarian’s family said in a statement through NSW Police last week that they had experienced a “nightmare” they never thought possible.
“Chris is a devoted father, brother, uncle and grandfather. He is deeply loved, kind and the kindest person we know; he wouldn’t hurt a fly,” the statement said.
“[It] It feels surreal and we’re trying to make sense of the fact that he’s been kidnapped and our family is involved in something that has nothing to do with us.
Police have repeatedly said Baghsarian and his family have no connection to organized crime. Detectives, kidnappers Targeting 67-year-old Karo Stepanyan and his family who live a few doors down.
On Wednesday, police arrested two men, aged 29 and 24.
The Bagsaryan family said they welcomed the arrests and continued to request privacy.
“This is an extraordinarily troubling time and we need space to support each other and focus on deciding what comes next,” the statement said.
Detective Acting Superintendent Andrew Marks said on Wednesday the family were “devastated” by the 85-year-old’s death.
“This is someone’s worst nightmare,” he said.
“It is unacceptable that an innocent person was taken from his home. These people need to be held accountable for this, so we are taking these people to court and hope this does not happen again.”
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Amber Schultz is a crime and justice reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect with: X or email.
