Man Arrested After Woman Was Kidnapped, Stripped Naked and Brutally Murdered with Her Body Left in Burnt-Out Car

A 29-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with the April 2025 kidnapping and murder of a 45-year-old woman whose body was found inside a burnt-out car.

On Thursday, Aug. 28, The Anh Nguyen was taken into custody over the death of Thi Kim Tran, a spokesperson for the New South Wales (NSW) Police Force confirmed to PEOPLE via email. He appeared before Bankstown Local Court the following day.

Authorities said Tran was abducted from her home in the Sydney suburb of Bankstown on April 17. Officers were called to the residence at around 10:30 p.m. following reports of a kidnapping.

Police said a group of unknown assailants forced their way into the home before allegedly abducting the 45-year-old woman. During the incident, the attackers — armed with a firearm — allegedly assaulted an eight-year-old boy with a baseball bat before forcing Tran into an SUV. The boy was treated by paramedics for head injuries and taken to the hospital. A 15-year-old boy was also present but was not physically harmed.

Later that evening, around 11:30 p.m., emergency services responded to reports of a car fire in Beverley Hills. Police said the vehicle was destroyed, and Tran’s body was discovered inside.

Investigators charged Nguyen with murder and with wounding a person with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. Detectives said the victim and children were likely targeted because of her partner’s ties to an Organized Criminal Network (OCN) in Victoria.

According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), police allege Nguyen was involved in a dispute over stolen drugs. Investigators confirmed Tran had been shot before her body was left in the car. The Sydney Morning Herald reported that she had also been stripped naked in front of her children before her death.

Homicide Squad Commander Joe Doueihi told reporters that Nguyen was not the shooter but played a role in the crime. According to the ABC, detectives allege Nguyen met with the offenders beforehand, traveled with them to Tran’s home, parked in the driveway, and knocked on the front door while three armed men stood behind him.

“He stepped aside and allowed those offenders to seriously assault that child and then to kidnap and strip the woman naked in the street,” Doueihi said, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

Police later identified Nguyen as a close associate of Tran’s husband, who they allege was connected to a Victorian drug cartel. Detectives emphasized that Tran herself was innocent and had no knowledge of her husband’s alleged criminal activities.

The eight-year-old boy who was injured suffered severe, possibly permanent injuries and remained in a coma for days. The older boy is now receiving care for psychological trauma.

Nguyen did not apply for bail during his Friday court appearance in Bankstown. He is scheduled to appear in Burwood Local Court on Nov. 12, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. His lawyer, Julie Nguyen, has said he intends to plead not guilty to the charges.