Alleged gunman among three charged over student’s mistaken identity murder
Two men and a 16-year-old boy extradited from Victoria have been charged with murder four weeks after an innocent university student was shot dead in his bed in Sydney’s south-west.
Marco Tapia, 23, was killed when a group of assailants stormed the Glen Alpine house in the early hours of September 1. Police have since confirmed the wrong address was targeted in the allegedly botched organised crime killing.
Marco Tapia was shot dead while in bed at his family’s Sydney home.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 will allege in court the three males – one allegedly armed with a pistol – entered the home and confronted Mr Tapia, before he was fatally shot,” NSW Police said in a statement on Wednesday.
The trio were extradited from Victoria on September 18, along with 26-year-old Amenah Abusud.
The trio charged with murder were earlier extradited from Victoria.NSW PoliceAbusud has not been charged with Tapia’s murder but she has been charged with criminal group and accessory offences.
Police alleged during their extradition hearing in Melbourne Magistrates Court that the group worked for the notorious Alameddine crime family in a recent spate of violence against the so-called Coconut Cartel.
The group is also accused of a home invasion in the Sydney suburb of Hurstville, and of shooting cars in Turrella the night before Tapia was killed.
Ballistic analysis found discharged cartridge cases at the two scenes were “positively matched” to the Glen Alpine homicide scene where a firearm was found, a NSW Police investigator testified.
The court was told the Victorians left their Airbnb at Campbelltown 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 allegedly staging vehicles and providing the weapon. They remain in custody and are due to face court again on November 13.
Detectives are yet to identify the intended target of the botched attack, but are investigating if the trio was contracted to target a Coconut Cartel member. Tapia had no links to organised crime.
Senior police are expected to provide an update later on Wednesday morning.
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