A Vietnamese man who allegedly orchestrated the horrific alleged kidnapping and murder of a mother-of-two in Sydney in April has been arrested and charged.
The body of Thi Kim Tran, 45, was found in a burned out car after allegedly being abducted from her home in Bankstown in front of her two boys, stripped naked, assaulted and shot dead on April 17.
Her eight-year-son suffered serious head injuries after allegedly being bashed with a baseball bat during the kidnapping, and spent days in a coma. His older brother, 15, was not physically hurt but police say he has suffered psychological injuries from viewing the alleged incident.
NSW Police on Thursday arrested The Anh Nguyen, 29, at a unit in Bankstown, and charged him with murder and wound person with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
Police in Sydney have arrested and charged a Vietnamese man, 29, they allege was behind the kidnapping and murder of a 45-year-old mother-of-two in Sydney in April.
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Homicide Squad Commander Detective Superintendent Joseph Doueihi said on Friday police will allege Nguyen hired Ms Tran’s husband in 2022 to cook methylamphetamine for a Victoria-based drug syndicate that is made up primarily of Vietnamese males and is a “major player”.
“A dispute arose when an allegation was made that the deceased’s husband had stolen drugs,” Douehi said.
“The 29-year-old was tasked to resolve this issue… we will allege he facilitated the kidnapping and murder of the woman.”
Police will allege Nguyen hired three men to carry out the alleged kidnapping and murder, and was present at the scene and ordered the alleged attack on the younger of Ms Tran’s sons.
“He met with the offenders beforehand, travelled in convoy with the offenders to the deceased’s home, parked his car in the driveway and knocked on the front door with the three offenders, standing behind them armed with a firearm and baseball bat and with their faces covered,” Doueihi said.
“He stepped aside and allowed those offenders to seriously assault that child and then to kidnap and strip the woman naked in the street.”
Police believe all of those involved are still in Australia, and that Nguyen’s role was to find premises for meth labs and hire cooks for the syndicate, and was in the “upper echelons of the syndicate” but not involved in the sale and importation of the drugs themselves.
Ms Tran’s husband has denied being behind a drug theft and has not been charged over his alleged involvement in the Victorian syndicate.
Nguyen was refused bail to face Bankstown Local Court on Friday.
Header image: Left, Nguyen being taken into custody (NSW Police). Right, Thi Kim Tran (supplied).
