‘Trail of evidence’: Teens charged over mistaken identity murder of innocent student

Two teenagers have been charged over the botched organised crime killing of an innocent university student at his family’s Sydney home, including a 14-year-old allegedly hospitalised with burn injuries resulting from attempts to destroy a getaway car.

Marco Tapia, 23, was shot dead in his bed after a group of assailants stormed the Glen Alpine house in the early hours of September 1. Police have since confirmed the wrong address had been targeted.

Homicide detectives raided two homes in Fairfield about 10am on Wednesday and arrested two boys, aged 14 and 16, alleging the teens staged vehicles and provided the weapon.

The pair have each been charged with murder, participating in a criminal group to contribute to criminal activity, possessing an unauthorised prohibited firearm and two counts of driving a vehicle without the consent of the owner.

The 14-year-old boy was also charged with damaging a property by fire or explosion.

Homicide Squad Commander Detective Superintendent Joe Doueihi said the incident bore all the hallmarks of an organised crime killing, except the victim had nothing to do with Sydney’s underworld conflict.

“The Tapia family, and Marco are innocent people, innocent parties, and were not the intended target of this offence,” he said.

Doueihi said the two teens were vulnerable, young and naive, but knew where their alleged actions were leading, and were significantly involved in Tapia’s death. He said, “it wasn’t very difficult” for police to track down the pair.

“They were, if I can use the word, very clumsy,” Doueihi said.

“They left a trail of evidence behind … the 14-year-old offender, as he attempted to burn the kill car, burnt himself in the process and ended up in hospital.”

The boys did not apply for bail at Parramatta Children’s Court on Thursday and were remanded in custody to return to court on November 13.

Doueihi said the teenagers’ parents “were devastated and had no idea what was going on”.

“Unfortunately, young men are being targeted,” he said.

“They’re easily lured by the thrill and the financial incentive, but you know that’s a short-term gain for significantly long-term consequences.”

The Minns government last week announced new legislation to target organised crime networks and deter children from being lured by offshore kingpins contracting them for crimes. The laws expand the list of serious children’s indictable offences that can result in adult sentences, to include those linked to organised crime such as firebombings.

“The age of the people who’ve been accused of these offences is worrying for everybody in our community,” NSW Premier Chris Minns said in response to the two teens being charged.

Minns said his thoughts were with the Tapia family: “I can only imagine, to have a son who’s done absolutely nothing wrong, living his life, and be killed in his bedroom.”

Tapia was in his third year of a biomedical engineering degree at the University of Technology Sydney, where he had won awards and volunteered for Engineers Without Borders. His only known brush with the law was a minor traffic offence.

Marco’s parents, Sergio and Claudia Tapia, recounted the “nightmare” attack that claimed their son’s life, telling A Current Affair on Monday the violent onslaught happened “so fast”.

“I remember him taking his final breath,” Claudia said. “There was hate that came to our house.”