The ‘sweetest’ man: A beloved Sydney grandfather’s gentle life and harrowing end

Gentle, cheerful and kind, 85-year-old Chris Baghsarian deserved to live his golden years in peace, surrounded by his children, grandchildren and community in Sydney’s north.

Instead, police say, the widower was snatched from his home on February 13 in a suspected case of mistaken identity, tortured, murdered and his body dumped in grassland. His suspected remains were found on Tuesday, 11 days after his disappearance.

The case has horrified the Armenian and wider community, with many fearful of the way Sydney’s gangland wars have spilt into suburbia, their violence now enveloping the innocent and the vulnerable.

Baghsarian was born in 1941 in Jerusalem, living alongside other Christians in the Armenian quarter of the old city.

His cousin, Arthur Hagopian, said he would always remember Baghsarian as the “gentle, amiable cousin I grew up with” in the cobblestoned alleys.

“In the charmed and magical ambience of the Armenian quarter, everyone was related to someone else either closely or remotely,” he said.

They both attended a St James parish school and had friends in common.

“His family lived a brisk five-minute walk from us, and there was not a day we did not exchange visits. No phones. No messages. Just walk in and don’t even bother to knock on the door or gate,” he said.

Baghsarian was “spoiled rotten” by Hagopian’s family, fed fried potato chips, while Hagopian often had sleepovers, sharing a mattress with Baghsarian’s father.

The pair survived the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, living through conflict and turmoil.

“[Combat engineers] had to deal with some unexploded ordnance, and the explosion traumatised a lot of the residents, among them little Chris,” Hagopian said.

His childhood friend, Michael Aprahamian, said the pair were like brothers, growing up in Jerusalem as “one family.”

Speaking to 10News+ before the discovery of Baghsarian’s remains, Aprahamian said the pair were members of the Scouts as children, learning respect, decency and to help one another.

“We all come from that part of the world, even though we went through hell through wars, through so many catastrophes, and yet we always have a smile on our faces,” Aprahamian said.

Baghsarian, who also went by his Armenian name, Khatchig, moved to Australia in the late 1960s when he was in his 20s. His first job was as a painter, working alongside Hagopian’s brother, with whom he emigrated.

He met his wife, Sona, and they settled in North Ryde, buying a three-bedroom brick home with a neat lawn and backyard pool. They had two children. One neighbour said that, after his wife’s passing, he lived alone but frequently had visitors, including children and grandchildren, dropping by.

He was passionate about photography and an active member of the Armenian General Benevolent Union, a not-for-profit organisation that organises and funds educational and cultural programs.

Aprahamian said the community was struggling to digest what happened.

“It hurts inside, as if a dagger hits your heart … He was such a peaceful man,” he said.

“We’re going to miss him a lot. He’ll have a big funeral, the whole community.”

In a statement via NSW Police last week, Baghsarian’s family said they were living through a “nightmare” they never thought possible.

“Chris is a devoted father, brother, uncle and grandfather. He is deeply loved, gentle and the kindest person we know – someone who would never hurt a fly,” the statement read.

“[It] feels surreal, and we are struggling to make sense of the fact that he has been taken and that our family has been caught up in something that has nothing to do with us.”

Police have repeatedly said Baghsarian and his family have no links to organised crime. Detectives believe the kidnappers were targeting Karo Stepanyan, 67, who lives a few doors down, and his family.

On Wednesday, police arrested two men aged 29 and 24.

The Baghsarian family said they welcomed the arrests and continued to request privacy.

“This is an extraordinarily distressing time, and we need space to support one another and focus on navigating what comes next,” their statement read.

Detective Acting Superintendent Andrew Marks said on Wednesday the family was “devastated” over the 85-year-old’s death.

“It’s somebody’s worst nightmare,” he said.

“The fact that an innocent man was taken from his home is not acceptable. These people need to be held to account for that, and that’s why we are bringing these people before the courts, and we hope that it doesn’t happen again.”

Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.