Arrest of Deklin Donnelly in Sydney grandfather’s mistaken-identity kidnapping and murder case
Consensus Summary
Police have arrested Deklin Donnelly, 23, as a key figure in the mistaken-identity kidnapping and murder of Chris Baghsarian, an 85-year-old Sydney grandfather snatched from his North Ryde home on February 13. Baghsarian’s body was found near a Pitt Town golf course 11 days later, with investigators confirming the abduction was a case of mistaken identity targeting Dimitri Stepanyan’s father. Donnelly, charged with murder and multiple firearms/drug offences, was found at his Seven Hills home with an sawn-off shotgun under his bed alongside prohibited drugs. Authorities allege he recruited Stevens and Andrews, who were charged earlier, and played a central role in Baghsarian’s detention and disposal. Donnelly’s girlfriend, Jenessa Thurston, was sentenced for unrelated violence offences. While all sources agree on core details like the charges, arrest location, and mistaken identity, discrepancies include the timing of Baghsarian’s murder, the $50 million ransom demand, and Donnelly’s Facebook activity during the investigation. Investigations continue into a broader network of up to nine alleged participants, with links to possible offshore involvement.
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Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Deklin Donnelly, 23, was arrested on March 6 at a Seven Hills home in Sydney’s west, charged with murder and kidnapping of Chris Baghsarian, an 85-year-old grandfather mistakenly abducted from North Ryde on February 13
- Baghsarian’s body was found near a golf course in Pitt Town, Sydney’s northwest, 11 days after his abduction (February 24)
- Donnelly was found wearing only his underwear during the arrest, with an sawn-off shotgun allegedly hidden under his bed at the Seven Hills property
- Donnelly faces charges including murder, take/detain with intent to ransom occasioning bodily harm, possess unauthorised firearm, and multiple drug supply offences
- Gerard Andrews, 29, and Daniel Stevens, 24, were charged in February with Baghsarian’s kidnapping and murder and remain in custody
- Donnelly’s girlfriend, Jenessa Thurston, 23, was arrested alongside him and sentenced to 10 months imprisonment (non-parole period of 6 months) for an apprehended violence order breach and prior police assault
- Police allege up to nine people were involved in the kidnapping and murder plot, with investigations ongoing into possible offshore involvement
- Donnelly was captured on CCTV at Baghsarian’s North Ryde home at the time of the abduction (February 13) and later near an abandoned Dural home where Baghsarian was allegedly tortured and killed
- Donnelly allegedly recruited Stevens and Andrews to assist in the botched kidnapping targeting Dimitri Stepanyan’s father, a relative of Sydney businessman Dimitri Stepanyan
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Donnelly allegedly murdered Baghsarian between February 13 morning and 9pm on February 14, with police confirming the case was a ‘mistaken identity’ from the outset
- Donnelly was found with a sawn-off shotgun, ammunition, and prohibited drugs (heroin, methylamphetamine, cocaine, cannabis) at the Seven Hills property
- Donnelly did not apply for bail in Blacktown Local Court on March 7 (Thursday), with his next court appearance scheduled for May 22
- Thurston was sentenced for an AVO breach and a 2025 matter involving assaulting a police officer during duty execution
- Police allege Donnelly was one of the ‘ringleaders’ in Baghsarian’s kidnapping, detention, and disposal of the body
- Superintendent Andrew Marks stated Donnelly was a ‘major player’ in the kidnapping plot and allegedly conveyed Baghsarian to a ‘stronghold’ in Dural
- No mention of Donnelly’s Facebook profile update timing or neighbors’ observations
- No explicit mention of the sawn-off shotgun being found under the bed (only firearms and drugs seized generally)
- No reference to Donnelly’s alleged recruitment of Stevens and Andrews as part of a ‘crew’
- Detective Acting Superintendent Andrew Marks stated Donnelly was ‘contracted’ to kidnap Dimitri Stepanyan’s father but mistakenly took Baghsarian, with ransom demands of $50 million made to the Stepanyan family
- Donnelly updated his Facebook profile picture on February 16 (two days after Baghsarian’s body was dumped and eight days before discovery), while police were actively hunting the killers
- Neighbors described Donnelly and Thurston as ‘very quiet’ and rarely seen before their arrests, having moved into the property a few weeks prior
- Police seized ‘illegal firearms and firearms parts’ in addition to ammunition and drugs at Donnelly’s home
- Marks stated it was not known if Donnelly had received payment for the kidnapping, and investigations are ongoing into whether the botched abduction was ordered offshore
- Baghsarian’s family is described as having ‘no links to organised crime’ and is ‘distraught’ over his death, with a prior family statement praising his character
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- NEWSCOMAU states Donnelly allegedly murdered Baghsarian between February 13 morning and 9pm on February 14, while SMH does not specify a timeline for the murder beyond it occurring ‘shortly after’ the kidnappers realized the wrong man was taken
- ABC does not mention the $50 million ransom demand to the Stepanyan family, which is explicitly stated in SMH as part of the botched kidnapping plot
- NEWSCOMAU and SMH both report Thurston was sentenced for an AVO breach and prior police assault, but NEWSCOMAU specifies the assault occurred during ‘execution of duty’ while SMH refers to it as a ‘2025 matter’ without clarifying the context
- SMH reports Donnelly updated his Facebook profile picture on February 16 (while police were actively hunting the killers), but ABC does not mention this detail
- NEWSCOMAU states Donnelly was charged with ‘three counts of supply prohibited drug,’ while SMH and ABC only mention ‘drug supply offences’ without specifying the number of counts
Source Articles
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