Chris Baghsarian kidnapping case becomes world news as Pitt Town search deepens focus on Dimitri Stepanyan (CNN)

The killing of Chris Baghsarian, an 85-year-old kidnapped grandfather taken from his home in Sydney’s north in what investigators describe as a case of mistaken identity, has escalated into a major world news story after a grim discovery near Pitt Town and fresh arrests. Authorities say Baghsarian was abducted in the early hours of Feb. 13 in Australia, and human remains later located near a golf club have been linked to the case, intensifying the hunt for everyone involved.

Police believe the plot’s intended target was connected to Sydney businessman Dimitri Stepanyan, a detail that has pulled organized-crime dynamics into a case that began as an attack on a quiet suburban household.

Chris Baghsarian: timeline of the kidnapped grandfather case from North Ryde to Pitt Town

Investigators say Baghsarian was taken from his North Ryde property around 1:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Feb. 12 (about 5:00 a.m. local time on Feb. 13). Witness descriptions and early investigative summaries indicate multiple offenders forced entry, bundled him into a vehicle, and fled.

For nearly two weeks, the search centered on identifying the route from the abduction site to disposal locations, along with tracing any communications made after the kidnapping. The case pivoted again on Tuesday, Feb. 24 (ET) when police activity concentrated near Pitt Town, where suspected human remains were found near a golf club area.

Pitt Town: what investigators are now focusing on after remains discovery

The Pitt Town scene has become the investigative anchor for two urgent lines of work: confirming identity through forensic examination and reconstructing the movements that brought the victim from the abduction point to the dumping location. Police activity in the area has included methodical ground searches and evidence collection aimed at linking vehicles, footwear, and tools to specific suspects.

Investigators have also been working to separate rumor from verifiable detail. Public attention has been intense, and authorities have repeatedly emphasized the need for restraint and privacy for the victim’s family while the case remains active.

Dimitri Stepanyan link: mistaken identity theory and the alleged target

A central element in the current police theory is that the abductors were aiming for someone connected to Dimitri Stepanyan, but took Chris Baghsarian instead. Stepanyan has been publicly described in coverage as a Sydney businessman with a criminal history, and the “wrong target” angle has shaped the case narrative: an elderly man with no apparent role in criminal disputes was allegedly swept into a violent extortion-style plot.

That mistaken identity theory matters for two reasons. First, it helps explain the apparent mismatch between the victim and the nature of the operation. Second, it points investigators toward networks that may have planned the kidnapping, sourced vehicles, and coordinated communications intended to pressure a separate party.

Arrests and charges: where the investigation stands now

On Wednesday, Feb. 25 (ET), police arrested two men in Sydney’s northwest, taking them in for questioning in connection with the abduction and suspected murder. Authorities have signaled that the investigation remains broader than the initial arrests, with ongoing efforts to identify all participants and any facilitators who helped with transport, logistics, or concealment.

The case is also likely to involve extensive digital and financial analysis. Kidnapping investigations typically hinge on mapping phones, vehicle movements, and any ransom-related messaging, along with reviewing CCTV corridors between the abduction site and disposal areas.

What happens next: identification, accountability, and community impact

For Baghsarian’s family and community, the next phase is both procedural and emotional: formal identification, case brief preparation, and court processes that can stretch for months. For police, the next steps focus on building a complete chain of evidence tying suspects to key events—entry, transport, confinement, and disposal—while also testing the theory that the intended target was linked to Dimitri Stepanyan.

The case has also amplified broader concerns about the reach of organized crime violence and the collateral risk to uninvolved families when criminals misidentify targets. In practical terms, it raises questions about how fast abduction teams can mobilize, how they select targets, and what gaps in surveillance or street-level intelligence allow such operations to proceed.

The coming days will likely bring clearer forensic findings and a sharper outline of the alleged kidnapping network. For now, the name Chris Baghsarian remains at the center of a tragedy that has resonated far beyond Sydney—an elderly kidnapped grandfather caught in a case that investigators believe was never meant for him.