Neighbour suspected target of Sydney student’s mistaken identity killing

The mother of an innocent Sydney university student allegedly shot dead in his bedroom during a botched attack on a neighbour linked to organised crime says the 23-year-old was a “warm, caring and loving” son with a bright future.

Homicide squad detectives on Tuesday charged a trio of Victorians, including a 16-year-old boy, with Tapia’s mistaken identity murder, which they believe stemmed from a botched plot to assassinate a man linked to Sydney’s underworld who was living on the same street in the city’s south-west.

Tapia died in his bedroom from a single gunshot wound after a struggle with the intruders, who forced their way into his family’s Glen Alpine home about 3.40am on September 1.

Vaifaalie Tuafuti, 23, Omar Mohamed, 22, and a 16-year-old boy, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, have been charged with murder, two counts of special aggravated break and enter and committing a serious indictable offence, and possessing an unauthorised prohibited firearm. All three are due to face court on Wednesday.

Detectives believe the group was targeting a man with links to organised crime who lived on the same street as Tapia.

They are investigating whether that man was being targeted because of his suspected connection to the Coconut Cartel, a criminal group feuding with Sydney’s Alameddine crime family over control of the city’s lucrative illicit drug market. Police have warned the suspected target about threats to his life. Tapia had no links to organised crime.

“Marco lived a life of faith, service, generosity and purpose,” Tapia’s mother, Claudia Tapia, said in a statement issued via NSW Police on Wednesday.

Claudia Tapia said she wanted her son not to be remembered for how he died, but for how he lived, and the lives he touched.

“Marco had plans. He had purpose. He had a future, and he was already making a difference in the lives of others. His death is part of his story, but it must never become his identity,” she said.

“Marco was not simply a victim. He was our son, a brother, a boyfriend, a friend, a man of faith, a young leader and a biomedical engineer in the making, who was going to impact this sphere greatly.”

Detective Superintendent Joe Doueihi, the commander of NSW Police’s homicide squad, said investigators were yet to identify the alleged gunman.

“Mr Tapia was a completely innocent party,” Doueihi said.

Detectives will allege in court that the trio broke into the Glen Alpine home before shooting Tapia in his bed. One of the trio is alleged to have been armed with a pistol.

The trio was extradited from Victoria on September 18, along with a 26-year-old woman, Amenah Abusud.

Abusud has not been charged with Tapia’s murder, but she has been charged with criminal group and accessory offences.

Police alleged during an extradition hearing in Melbourne Magistrates Court this month that the group worked for the Alameddine family.

The trio has been charged over separate attacks, including a home invasion at Hurstville in Sydney’s south, and the shooting of several cars in nearby Turrella the night before Tapia was killed.

Ballistic analysis found discharged cartridge cases at the two scenes were “positively matched” to the Glen Alpine crime scene where a firearm was found, a NSW Police officer testified in court. The gun used in the shooting was seized from Tapia’s bedroom, where one of the assailants dropped it during a struggle with the 23-year-old.

The court was told the Victorians left their Airbnb at Campbelltown, in Sydney’s south-west about 1.50am on September 1 and returned about 4am, “where they appear to be in a rush to collect their belongings before all leaving”.

Two boys, aged 14 and 16, were earlier charged with staging vehicles and providing the weapon. They remain in custody and are due to face court again on November 13.

Doueihi said combating the increasing involvement of teenagers in organised crime required a combined effort from the NSW government, police and the wider community.

“Crime doesn’t pay,” he said.

“If you are a young person out there, and someone’s trying to entice you into this type of crime or some type of activity, you will be caught. You’re not smarter than the police; we have our capability. We have the expertise.”

Tuafuti and Mohamed did not apply for bail and were remanded in custody until November 25.