The Tragic History of a Farm Turned Crime Scene
The disused turf farm at Pitt Town Bottoms, near Sydney's Hawkesbury River, where the remains of frail 85-year-old grandfather Chris Baghsarian were discovered, carries a profoundly tragic past that predates the grim finding. This property, previously owned by Mario 'Muz' Fenech, became the site of a heartbreaking suicide when Fenech took his own life at age 55 on December 20, 2022, after repeated crop losses due to catastrophic rainfall.
A Property Shrouded in Sorrow
Neighbouring turf operators confirmed to the Daily Mail that Mr Fenech had died by suicide, adding to the location's sombre history. The property itself, where Mr Baghsarian's body was found adjacent to a gravel track bordering the Lynwood Golf and Country Club, had only been sold on Monday, just one day before the corpse was discovered on Tuesday.
Detectives believe the body was disposed of at the site around February 14, when the bungling kidnappers allegedly realised they had abducted the wrong target. Daniel Stevens, 24, and Gerard Andrews, 29, have been charged with Mr Baghsarian's kidnapping and murder.
Mistaken Identity in a Deadly Plot
NSW Police believe Mr Baghsarian was the victim of mistaken identity, with the intended target being relatives of Alameddine associate Dimitri Stepanyan, founder of Proper Streetwear clothing, a brand often worn by underworld figures. His parents, Karo and Vanush Stepanyan, lived just three houses away at Dimitri's $3.5 million childhood home.
Mario 'Muz' Fenech owned the disused turf farm at Pitt Town Bottoms where kidnapped Chris Baghsarian's body was dumped after the grandfather was mistakenly abducted from his residence. A blue police tent shielded Mr Baghsarian's body on the 7.5-hectare property, which had only been transferred to its new owners the day before the discovery.
The Flood-Ravaged Landscape
Pitt Town Bottoms, located 58 kilometres from Sydney's CBD, serves as a hub for the turf industry and market gardens, with the dumping site positioned between a vegetable farm and the golf club. Mr Baghsarian's remains were found in long grass and weeds near the main road and the tee of the neighbouring golf club's second hole.
The farm's selling agents revealed they last walked the property with the new buyer just days before the tragic February 13 kidnapping. Recurrent flood levels at the property prevent any construction of new houses, but after Mr Fenech's death, the abandoned turf became overgrown, reaching shoulder-high in some areas.
The Legacy of Mario Fenech
The late Mr Fenech, who is no relation to his famous former footballer namesake, had owned the property via a family company. After his death, he left the land at 82 Pitt Town Bottoms Road to his widow, who engaged Vella Iverson Real Estate to sell it this month. Mr Fenech also owned an 11-hectare property with a house, office, and outbuildings across the road from the dump site.
Both properties went underwater during the Hawkesbury River's catastrophic flooding in March 2021. Mr Fenech featured in a Nine newspapers' video shot from a boat atop the floodwaters that had turned his million-dollar farm and adjoining property into a lake.
'It’s actually incredible to fathom that much water,' he told the Sydney Morning Herald at the time. 'It’s heartbreaking, man. We’ve got to rebuild that office, rebuild that shed.' He expressed hope that the water would drain quickly and the sun would dry out the grass, warning that otherwise a three-month recovery could stretch into a year.
'It’ll basically drown the grass and roots, then we’d have to start all over again,' he lamented. His neighbour Steve Innes described 'Muz' as 'my best mate for 35 years. He'd give you the shirt off his back.'
Community Spirit Amidst Adversity
Mr Fenech spoke of the community's resilience, stating, 'the community comes together to help each other.' He added, 'That’s what I love about being down there. We all pitch in and help each other. Having friends and family there to support you when you’re in need - that's living.'
A year later, Pitt Town Bottoms was again inundated, this time under 8.5 metres of water. After Mr Fenech took his life in December 2022, friends posted tributes to their 'mate Muz' on Facebook, mourning his loss.
Ongoing Investigation
Detectives and forensic officers spent a second day gathering evidence at the Pitt Town Bottoms Road property on Wednesday. A forensic van contracted to the NSW Coroner retrieved Mr Baghsarian's body from the site late on Tuesday afternoon and transported it for a post-mortem examination to the Forensic Medicine & Coroners Court Complex at Lidcombe.
The case continues to unfold as authorities piece together the events leading to this tragic series of events at a location already marked by profound personal and natural disasters.
