Police have charged a 51-year-old woman over the alleged kidnapping and murder of 85-year-old Sydney grandfather Chris Baghsarian. Mr Baghsarian was taken from his North Ryde home in the early hours of February 13 in what police described as a case of mistaken identity. His remains were located 11 days later near a golf club in Pitt Town.
Detectives arrested the woman on Tuesday in Lethbridge Park, in Sydney's west, following further inquiries. She was taken to Mt Druitt Police Station and charged with accessory after the fact to murder. The woman was refused bail to appear at Mt Druitt Local Court on Wednesday.
Her arrest comes nearly one month after four men were charged over Mr Baghsarian's alleged kidnapping and murder, including a 32-year-old man police allege coordinated the plot. Police have now arrested and charged 12 people over the alleged incident, with 11 previously charged remaining before the courts.
Murder charges and court allegations
In June, Brendan Gorman, 19, and Codi Fuller, 21, were arrested and charged with Mr Baghsarian's murder. Moustafa Ohrok, 19, Gerard Andrews, 29, Daniel Stevens, 24, and Deklin James Donnelly, 23, have also been charged with murder and remain in custody.
Court documents detail allegations that Andrews and Stevens transported Mr Baghsarian to a semi-rural makeshift stronghold in Dural, on the city's outskirts. Police believe the intended target for the abduction was a relative of Sydney businessman Dimitri Stepanyan, who lived on the same street as Mr Baghsarian.
Mr Baghsarian's family previously described the ordeal as "a nightmare". They have asked for privacy as they process the death of the devoted father, brother, uncle and grandfather, describing him as "someone who would never hurt a fly".
