Arrest of Deklin Donnelly in Sydney grandfather’s mistaken-identity kidnapping and murder case
Consensus Summary
Police have arrested Deklin James Donnelly, 23, as the ringleader in the botched kidnapping and murder of Sydney grandfather Chris Baghsarian, who was mistakenly abducted from his North Ryde home on February 13, 2024. Donnelly was charged with murder, kidnapping, and multiple firearms and drug offenses, including possession of an sawn-off shotgun and prohibited drugs found at his Seven Hills home. Authorities allege Donnelly recruited others, including Daniel Stevens and Gerard Andrews (already charged), to carry out the abduction targeting Dimitri Stepanyan’s father but instead abducting Baghsarian. A $50 million ransom was demanded from the Stepanyan family, who corrected the kidnappers about the wrongful abduction. Baghsarian’s body was found near a Pitt Town golf course on February 24 after being tortured, and police believe up to nine people were involved. Donnelly’s girlfriend, Jenessa Thurston, was arrested for unrelated violence offenses and sentenced to 10 months in jail. Investigations continue into possible offshore involvement in the botched plot, with Donnelly remanded in custody pending his May 22 court appearance. The case highlights a tragic mistake in a high-stakes kidnapping attempt linked to organized crime figures.
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Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Deklin James Donnelly, 23, was arrested on Wednesday, March 20, at his Seven Hills public housing address and charged with the kidnapping and murder of Chris Baghsarian, an 85-year-old Sydney grandfather mistakenly abducted on February 13, 2024.
- Donnelly was captured on CCTV at Baghsarian’s North Ryde home at the time of the kidnapping and later near an abandoned Dural home where Baghsarian was allegedly tortured and killed.
- Donnelly was arrested wearing only his underwear and was refused bail, appearing in Blacktown Local Court on March 21, 2024, with his next court date set for May 22.
- Daniel Stevens, 24, and Gerard Andrews, 29, were previously charged with Baghsarian’s kidnapping and murder and remain in custody, with Stevens and Andrews arrested on March 13, 2024.
- Police seized an sawn-off shotgun, ammunition, and a significant amount of prohibited drugs (including heroin, methylamphetamine, cocaine, and cannabis) at Donnelly’s Seven Hills home.
- Baghsarian’s body was found on February 24, 2024, near a golf club in Pitt Town, Sydney’s northwest, after being allegedly tortured and killed between February 13 and 14.
- The kidnapping was allegedly a case of mistaken identity, targeting Dimitri Stepanyan’s father (a relative of Sydney businessman Dimitri Stepanyan, linked to the Alameddine crime family) but instead abducting Baghsarian.
- A $50 million ransom was demanded from the Stepanyan family, who informed kidnappers they had the wrong man.
- Jenessa Thurston, 23, Donnelly’s girlfriend, was arrested at the same address and charged with breaching an apprehended violence order, later sentenced to 10 months in jail (non-parole period of six months) for unrelated offenses.
- Detective Acting Superintendent Andrew Marks stated Donnelly was a ‘major player’ in the kidnapping plot and recruited Stevens and Andrews to assist.
- Police believe up to nine people were involved in the kidnapping and murder, with investigations ongoing into whether the botched abduction was ordered offshore.
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Donnelly updated his Facebook profile picture on February 16, two days after police believe Baghsarian’s body was dumped and while detectives were actively searching for the killer.
- Neighbors described Donnelly and Thurston as ‘very quiet’ and rarely seen before their arrests.
- Donnelly was charged with possessing an unauthorized firearm and ammunition, and drug supply offenses, in addition to kidnapping and murder.
- Police allege Donnelly was captured on CCTV at Baghsarian’s home at the time of the kidnapping and later near the abandoned Dural home where Baghsarian was tortured and killed.
- Baghsarian’s family has no links to organized crime and described him as a ‘kindest person’ who would never hurt a fly.
- Donnelly was arrested at his public housing address in Seven Hills, where police seized illegal firearms, ammunition, and drugs.
- Detective Marks mentioned Donnelly was involved in organizing the kidnapping of another person but took Baghsarian instead.
- The sawn-off shotgun was found under Donnelly’s bed during the raid on the Seven Hills home, along with ammunition and prohibited drugs.
- Donnelly was charged with ‘take/detain in company with intent to ransom occasion actual bodily harm’ in addition to murder.
- Donnelly faces three counts of supply prohibited drug (heroin, methylamphetamine, cocaine, and cannabis).
- Thurston was sentenced to 10 months’ jail with a non-parole period of six months and will be released on parole in September 2024.
- The court documents explicitly state Donnelly allegedly murdered Baghsarian between the morning of February 13 and 9pm on February 14.
- Superintendent Marks stated police allege Donnelly ‘conveyed Mr Baghsarian to the stronghold in Dural where he was kept.’
- The ABC article emphasizes Donnelly was a ‘major player’ in the mistaken identity kidnapping plot and was present at Baghsarian’s North Ryde address.
- The ABC does not mention the $50 million ransom demand or the Stepanyan family’s involvement in detail.
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- SMH states Donnelly was arrested wearing only his underwear on Wednesday morning, while NEWSCOMAU does not specify his attire during arrest.
- SMH reports Donnelly updated his Facebook profile picture on February 16, but NEWSCOMAU does not mention this detail.
- SMH states Baghsarian’s body was found on February 24, while NEWSCOMAU states it was found 11 days after the kidnapping (February 24, but the article says ‘11 days later’ without specifying the exact date).
- NEWSCOMAU specifies Donnelly was charged with ‘take/detain in company with intent to ransom occasion actual bodily harm,’ while SMH and ABC only mention ‘take/detain in company with intent to ransom occasioning bodily harm’ (no ‘actual’ specified).
- ABC does not mention the $50 million ransom demand or the Stepanyan family’s role in confirming the mistaken identity, which is detailed in SMH and NEWSCOMAU.
Source Articles
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Deklin James Donnelly, 23, was contracted to abduct the father of a man linked to the Alameddine crime family when he mistakenly snatched Chris Baghsarian, police allege....
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New details have emerged after a man accused of playing a key role in the alleged kidnapping and murder of a grandfather was charged....
23yo fronts court over alleged abduction and murder of Chris Baghsarian
The man who police have alleged to be a "major player" in the mistaken identity kidnapping and murder of a Sydney grandfather has fronted court for the first time....