Five more men charged over alleged kidnapping and murder of Sydney mother Thi Kim Tran

The 45-year-old’s body was found in a burnt-out car after an alleged violent home invasion.

By Molly Rose Magennis

Five more people have been charged over the brutal alleged kidnapping and murder of a Sydney mother last year.

Five more people have been charged over the alleged brutal kidnapping and murder of a Sydney mother last year.

Thi Kim Tran, 45, was allegedly kidnapped from her Bankstown home by a group of masked men on April 17, 2025.

Police say she was forced into the back of a dark SUV at gunpoint, before her body was later found in a burnt-out vehicle in Beverly Hills, about 6km away from her home.

During the violent home invasion, the group also allegedly struck an eight-year-old boy with a baseball bat. A 15-year-old boy was also home at the time.

Police allege Tran was targeted because of her husband’s alleged involvement in a Victorian transnational crime syndicate that manufactured drugs.

Tran’s husband has not been charged over any of the allegations and he is continuing to assist police.

Four people from an alleged “kill crew” have been previously charged over Tran’s death and remain before the courts.

Police have now charged a further five people, some of whom they say were apart of another crew.

On the same night as Tran’s alleged kidnapping and murder, these crew members allegedly laid in wait at a rural property in Victoria for Tran’s husband with the intention of killing him.

Police previously claimed Tran’s husband had allegedly taken up to 80kg of drugs from the crime syndicate he was involved in, prompting members to try to lure him out to kill him and recover the product.

When that failed, a higher-ranking member allegedly ordered Tran’s murder instead.

Thi Kim Tran’s body was found in a burnt-out car in Sydney’s west.Thi Kim Tran’s body was found in a burnt-out car in Sydney’s west. Credit: 7NEWS

On the morning of December 16 detectives executed a search warrant in Monterey, southern Sydney, where they arrested a 26-year-old man.

He was charged with murder, two counts of conspire and agree to murder any person, possess unauthorised firearm, possess ammunition without holding licence/permit/authority, and participate criminal group contribute criminal activity.

The man was refused bail and appeared before Sutherland Local Court the same day.

In February this year, detectives arrested a 30-year-old man at Sydney Airport and then arrested two more men, aged 18 and 25, in March.

All three were charged with murder, two counts of conspire and agree to murder any person, and participate criminal group contribute criminal activity.

They were all refused bail.

Tran’s body was found in a burnt-out car in Beverly Hills, Sydney.Tran’s body was found in a burnt-out car in Beverly Hills, Sydney. Credit: 7NEWS

The fifth arrest took place in January at Sydney Airport, where a 22-year-old man was taken into custody.

He was charged with the same offences as the other four men, as well as two counts of failing to comply with a digital evidence access order direction.

The young man was refused bail and appeared in court on January 17, with police alleging he was involved in criminal enterprise responsible for Tran’s murder.