In an incident that has shocked Sydney and the entire country, police have confirmed human remains located in the north-west of the city.
Following investigations, reports confirmed the body parts to be those of 85-year old grandfather Chris Baghsarian, who waskidnapped in his homeearlier this month in what the detectives describe as a case of mistaken identity abduction resulting in his murder.
The tragedy has triggered a massive police probe, multiple arrests, and mounting questions about organised crime in the city's suburbs.
At around 5 am, February 13, Baghsarian was reportedly kidnapped out of his bedroom in the small residential suburb of North Ryde in Sydney's north by a group of men who broke into his residence and bundled him inside a getaway car.
According to police, the old widower was not involved with any crime and was kidnapped by mistake — the criminals seem to have made a mistake and wanted to kidnap a relative of a person having a connection with the underworld of Sydney.
A few days after the kidnapping, the police and relatives of the family took a public stand to appeal that Baghsarian be returned safely. After the release ofCCTV footageby investigators,masked men were seen on camerabundling him into a sport utility vehicle at the front of his home, which raised widespread concern regarding his safety.
There was no news of his situation or well-being, despite detectives making desperate calls to kidnappers asking them to release him.
Tuesday morning ended a long search that involved detectives, specialist teams, and neighbourhood volunteers as officers discovered human remains in a golf course in Pitt Town in Sydney's north-western outskirts.
The site, usually a serene semi-rural area, became the centre of a grim scene as investigators searched to confirm the identity of the remains. They have now been confirmed by the police as belonging to Chris Baggsarian, ending days of doubt, but with devastating clarity, to his family and to the community at large.
Detectives also retrieved evidence connected to the kidnapping, such as a Toyota Corolla that was burnt down and was thought to have been used by the kidnappers.
Source: International Business Times UK
