Parents of ‘vulnerable’ accused killers shocked after teens charged with Glen Alpine murder

Two young teens have been charged with murder after a failed gangland hit resulted in the death of an innocent young man.

In a case of mistaken identity, biomedical student Marco Tapia, 23, was shot dead in his home on Mount Sugarloaf Dr in Glen Alpine in southwest Sydney at 3.40am on September 1.

A trail of evidence led detectives to a 14-year-old boy and a 16-year-old boy “early in the piece,” NSW Police Homicide Squad Commander Det. Supt. Joe Doueihi alleged at a press conference on Thursday.

The teens, previously unknown to police, were arrested in their family homes in Fairfield on Wednesday.

“Both young, vulnerable, naive children. Both still at school. I’m at a loss as to why these people were enticed into this type of crime,” Doueihi said.

“The parents were devastated. They had no idea what was going on,” Doueihi said.

Doueihi said that the boys, however, were cognisant of their alleged crimes.

“We obviously allege, with the fact that we’ve charged them with murder, that they were aware of what their actions were,” he said.

“We will allege that the boys were involved in the preparation, planning and aftermath of the murders, by disposing the vehicles, supplying weapons, and cleaning the residence that the offenders occupied at the time.

“They (allegedly) picked up the offenders, they dropped off the offenders, they supplied the firearm, they burnt the car.”

He said the boys were paid in exchange for their alleged roles in the killing.

The boys are accused of supporting three main offenders who remain on the run after allegedly entering Tapia’s home and firing the gun.

“Even though these boys were not present and part of the actual murder, we will allege that by the nature of their activities they form part of a joint criminal enterprise, therefore they are liable for the offence of murder,” Doueihi said.

He said that the young alleged offenders left a trail of evidence behind them.