An 85-year-old widower living alone in suburban Sydney suffered a tragic fate when assailants mistakenly abducted him from his bed on the morning of February 13, police confirm. Chris Baghsarian became the unintended victim of a kidnapping plot aimed at another individual, leading to his eventual murder.
The Abduction and Police Alerts
Detectives believe the attackers planned to kidnap their original target and demand a ransom. “I suspect that the intended target was going to be kidnapped, where a ransom for money was going to be asked,” Detective Acting Superintendent Andrew Marks stated during a press conference.
New South Wales Police quickly recognized the error and issued urgent public appeals through successive press conferences, urging the kidnappers to release Baghsarian at a safe location.
Instead, a video surfaced showing the elderly man bound at an abandoned property in Dural, about 20 kilometers from his home on Sydney’s outskirts. By the time authorities identified and searched the derelict site, Baghsarian had vanished.
Body Discovery and Family Grief
Police located Baghsarian’s body the day before Wednesday near a golf course in a rural area west of Sydney. An autopsy will determine the exact cause of death.
“It’s somebody’s worst nightmare, right?” Marks remarked to reporters. “The fact that an innocent man was taken from his home is not acceptable. These people need to be held to account.”
Baghsarian’s family described the ordeal as a “surreal nightmare.” In a statement, they said, “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. Chris is a devoted father, brother, uncle, and grandfather. He is deeply loved, gentle, and the kindest person.”
Arrests in Coordinated Raids
Less than 24 hours after finding the body, tactical police teams raided two properties, arresting two men aged 24 and 29. Authorities seized items linking them to the crime.
Footage from the operations shows officers in SUVs storming a large suburban home, scaling fences, and breaching doors amid screams from inside. One disheveled suspect, barefoot, was led to a police van. The second raid targeted another property, with the man facing charges of kidnapping and murder.
“We’ll allege in court that these men participated in a joint criminal enterprise with other persons to kidnap Mr. Baghsarian,” Marks announced. Investigators suspect at least three individuals total and anticipate more arrests.
Rarity of Such Crimes
Criminologist Clarke Jones, a visiting fellow at the Australian National University, notes that kidnappings remain rare in Australia, especially for victims with no criminal ties. “In past situations, people are released once they realize they’ve got the wrong person,” he explained.
Jones highlighted how technology enables criminal groups to hide activities and coordinate globally. “The tighter the law enforcement gets on these types of crimes, the more they then adapt to try and evade any type of detection,” he added.
The family has requested privacy during this distressing period. “This is an extraordinarily distressing time, and we need space to support one another and focus on navigating what comes next,” they stated.
