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Police allege Thi Kim Tran, 45, originally from Vietnam, was at her home in Bankstown on April 17 when a group of masked men forced their way into the property and kidnapped her at gunpoint.
During the incident, police were told the alleged kidnappers assaulted an eight-year-old boy with a baseball bat before forcing her into an SUV. A 15-year-old boy was also in the home at the time.
Tran’s remains were found in the torched SUV in Beverly Hills.
Police believe Tran and the children were likely targeted as a result of her husband’s alleged involvement with a criminal drug crime network based in Victoria. He has not been charged over his alleged involvement in the criminal group.
Police raided a unit in Bankstown yesterday and arrested a 29-year-old man.
He was charged with murder and was refused bail to appear before Bankstown Local Court today.
Police will allege in court the man facilitated Tran’s kidnapping and murder and was involved in the assault of the eight-year-old boy.
The man who was arrested is not alleged to have killed Tran himself, but is alleged to have brought the three men who did to her home and facilitated the murder.
Evidence suggested Tran was shot before the SUV was set alight with her body in it, Doueihi said.
Investigations under Strike Force Bushfield are ongoing and detectives are still working to track down the three men alleged to have kidnapped and killed Tran.
The eight-year-old boy has made a good recovery from the serious head injuries he sustained in the attack, he said.
The family member posted an Instagram comment asking “the local government [to] return justice to [Tran].
Another friend, who didn’t want to be named, told the Sydney Morning Herald what happened was “so awful”.
“She didn’t deserve this. She was a loving mother. Everyone is in shock,” they said.