Episode Overview

Title: Kidnapped, body found: The case of Sydney grandfather Chris Baghsarian
Podcast: The Morning Edition (The Age & Sydney Morning Herald)
Host: Samantha Selinger-Morris
Date: February 24, 2026
Guest: Riley Walter, Crime Reporter

This gripping episode unpacks the chilling case of Chris Bagzarian, an 85-year-old Sydney grandfather who was kidnapped and ultimately found dead following an apparent case of mistaken identity. Host Samantha Selinger-Morris and crime reporter Riley Walter methodically lay out the investigation, the errors that led to Bagzarian's abduction, the criminal underworld’s evolving ruthlessness, and the profound shock felt by a city and its police force.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Night of the Kidnapping

• Timeline:
  • February 13, around 5am: Chris Bagzarian is abducted from his North Ryde home by at least two masked men ([02:15]).
• Description of Incident:
  • Entry method unclear, possibly unlocked door.
  • Violent struggle, glass breaking, and dogs barking—neighbors recall the chaos ([03:00]).
  • Bagzarian is taken from his bedroom and forced into a waiting SUV ([02:15]).
• Witness Account:
  • “I just heard glass smashing and dogs barking. The screaming just kept going and then it was muffled. So I ended up looking outside and all I saw was just the guy coming, hopping into his car and just fleeing off.” ([03:00], Witness clip)

2. Immediate Police Response & Realization of Mistaken Identity

• Initial Police Appeal:
  • NSW Police publicly appeal for Bagzarian's return the next morning ([01:00]).
  • Police quickly address the kidnappers: “You have the wrong person. Please release Mr. Bagzarian, take him to a hospital, take him to somewhere that's safe and we'll do the rest.” ([01:47], Police statement)
• Suspicions Confirmed:
  • Within a day, detectives are convinced Bagzarian was mistakenly targeted; intended target lived nearby and had underworld connections ([03:53], [04:26]).

3. Mistaken Identity in Organized Crime

• Rising Trend:
  • Host asks about the rarity of such mistakes—Riley confirms it’s become alarmingly common for criminals to blunder targets, though “it’s very, very rare that they would actually kidnap and hold for several days the wrong person altogether.” ([04:42])
• Contextual Example:
  • Reference to mistaken identity shooting of John Versace, a young plumber, in May the year prior ([04:42]).

4. Escalation—Evidence of Violence and Collapse of Negotiations

• Disturbing Underworld Circulation:
  • By the weekend after the abduction, graphic images and videos of Bagzarian—showing severe injury—begin to circulate in the Sydney underworld ([05:55]).
  • Host and guest confirm their outlet did not publish them due to distressing nature ([05:55]).
• Police React:
  • Once legitimacy of the images is confirmed, urgency in the search increases significantly ([06:38]).

5. The Investigation Trail

• Key Evidence:
  • A stolen Toyota Corolla (from Victoria) with cloned plates is seen, dumped, and unsuccessfully (then later successfully) set alight. Forensic evidence from the car links directly to the crime ([07:39]).
• Discovery of Stronghold:
  • Police locate a derelict property in Dural, described as a "makeshift stronghold" where Bagzarian is believed to have been held and abused ([08:36]).
  • Evidence at this site matches both that recovered from the car and the circulated images ([09:39]).
• Investigative Note:
  • “There is, like the car, a mountain of evidence that's left behind that detectives start picking through basically to try and pick up the trail of the kidnappers.” ([09:39], Riley Walter)

6. The Target and the Web of Criminal Connections

• Intended Target Revealed:
  • Police determine the actual target lived near Bagzarian and was linked to the Alamedine crime family, a notorious Sydney drug syndicate ([10:37]).
• The Stepanion Connection:
  • Dimitri Stepanion (37), convicted armed robber and owner of Proper Streetwear (a brand associated with the Alamedine family) identified as indirectly connected.
  • Detected communications from kidnappers to Stepanion, demanding a $50 million ransom, reinforce the mistaken identity theory ([13:28]).
• Clarifications:
  • Stepanion is not accused of involvement; there is also no evidence the Alamedine family is involved in Bagzarian’s kidnapping ([12:36], [13:28]).
• Memorable Quote:
  • “There’s no suggestion that Dimiti Stepanion is involved in Chris Bagzarian's kidnapping, nor is he accused of any wrongdoing. But there is a clear link that detectives have been able to establish between him and the Alamedine crime family.” ([12:36], Riley Walter)

7. Bagzarian Family’s Ordeal

• Family’s Public Statement:
  • The Bagzarians are “absolutely distraught”, describing their experience as a nightmare with no underworld ties ([15:00]).
• Host Reflection:
  • “It absolutely beggars belief.” ([15:39], Samantha Selinger-Morris)

8. Grim Discovery: The Tragic Conclusion

• Discovery of Remains:
  • 11 days after abduction, human remains believed to be Bagzarian are found near a golf course in northwest Sydney ([15:52]).
• Police Statement:
  • “We suspect those remains to be Mr. Bagzarian, although the remains aren’t able to be positively identified … there will be a formal process to try and identify those remains.” ([16:09], Police spokesperson)

9. A Shift in the Criminal Underworld’s Code

• Breakdown of ‘Old Rules’:
  • Riley Walter reflects on the broader implications, noting “family members were once off limits, but what we’ve seen lately… is that increasingly innocent people are being caught up in this.” ([18:05])
• Memorable Reflection:
  • “There seems to be less and less of a clear line between what criminals are willing to do and where they'll stop short.” ([18:05], Riley Walter)
• Police and Public Outrage:
  • “I suppose I speak for not only the police, but the public in general that we're outraged... And what I can say is that we will endeavour and use every resource that we have to identify those responsible and bring them before the court.” ([17:44], Police spokesperson)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Host (Samantha Selinger-Morris):
  • “It really does beggar belief.” ([05:29], [15:39])
• Crime Reporter (Riley Walter):
  • “It's very, very rare that they would actually kidnap and hold for several days the wrong person altogether.” ([04:42])
  • “It’s not a situation they would ever imagine being in ... they're living through a nightmare.” ([15:09])
  • “For someone like Chris Bagzarian, a very vulnerable 85 year old who lives on his own, to be taken, and in such a brutal and ruthless way, it’s really sent ripples throughout the entire city.” ([18:05])
• Police Statement:
  • “You have the wrong person. Please release Mr. Bagzarian, take him to a hospital, take him to somewhere that's safe and we'll do the rest.” ([01:47])
  • “We suspect those remains to be Mr. Bagzarian, although the remains aren’t able to be positively identified.” ([16:09])
• Witness Testimony:
  • “The screaming just kept going and then it was muffled... all I saw was just the guy coming, hopping into his car and just fleeing off.” ([03:00])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:04 — Sound of abduction, immediate aftermath
• 01:00 — Police public appeal; mistaken identity established
• 02:15 — Details of kidnapping as reported; witness account
• 03:53 — Realization of mistaken identity
• 04:42 — Mistaken identity in Sydney’s underworld, context
• 05:55 — Circulation of graphic images, police response escalates
• 07:39 — Stolen car leads to discovery of Dural stronghold
• 10:37 — Identification of intended target; Alamedine family ties
• 13:28 — Ransom demands to Stepanion; communication breakdown
• 15:00 — Bagzarian family statement (distraught, no underworld links)
• 15:52 — Discovery of Bagzarian’s remains
• 17:12 — Impact and meaning of this case, shift in criminal underworld
• 17:44 — Police/public outrage and commitment to justice

Closing Reflection

This case is a harrowing illustration of the unintended victims caught in the crossfire of organized crime and the collapsing boundaries of criminal conduct in Sydney. The murder of Chris Bagzarian, a completely unrelated, vulnerable grandfather, highlights a new level of recklessness and brutality that has shocked the public, police, and veteran reporters alike.

For listeners seeking detailed journalism and sensitive storytelling surrounding a case that has rattled Sydney, this episode offers crucial insight and important context about the dangers facing even the most innocent amidst criminal feuds.