Darren Galea’s murder most likely mistaken identity

A SYDNEY man found dead in park with his hands bound and a gunshot wound to his head was a quiet man who loved growing orchids and was most likely murdered in a case of mistaken identity, police say.

A body is removed from under Duck River Bridge at Mona Park, Auburn. pic mark evans

A SYDNEY man found dead in park with his hands bound and a gunshot wound to his head was a quiet man who loved growing orchids and was most likely murdered in a case of mistaken identity, police say.

On the one year anniversary of Darren Galea’s death, police have revealed his killers may have targeted the wrong man when they executed him at close range and dumped his body under the Duck River Bridge in Auburn in January last year.

Mr Galea’s death came as a shock to his family, who described him as a private person, who worked at a local takeaway shop and was part of the local orchid society.

Police divers survey the scene where Mr Galea’s body was discovered. Picture: Mark Evans

Police yesterday made an appeal for information about the murder mystery, saying the gun used to kill the 33-year-old had been linked to two other high-profile shootings in the moths prior.

Ballistic testing revealed the gun used to kill Mr Galea was linked to a drive-by shooting in Merrylands in 2011 and the shooting of a man over a drug dispute in Auburn in 2012. However, Mr Galea was not linked to either crime, police say.

His body was found under the bridge about 6am on January 16. Police believe he was shot dead about 12.30am that same morning.

Two hours after he was killed, his vehicle, a Toyota Corolla, was driven to the cul de sac where he lived in South Wentworthville and set alight. Police say a man was seen driving Mr Galea’s car and another man followed in a second vehicle, also a Corolla.

Police believe Mr Galea’s death was probably a case of mistaken identity. Picture: Mark Evans

Detective Inspector Mark Henney from the Homicide Squad said Mr Galea lived a private life and had no known links to crime.

“There is nothing in Mr Galea’s past to suggest any links with organised crime or drug activity, which is why we believe it could have been a case of mistaken identity,” Det Insp Henney said.

In a bizarre twist, police received a tip last year suggesting Mr Galea’s murder was linked to the sexual assault of a six-year-old girl in a toilet block a week before his death.

Det Insp Henney said police could now “conclusively rule” that Mr Galea had no involvement in the sexual assault.

Mr Galea was last seen alive at a service station on Merrylands Rd about 8pm on the night of his death.

Police are appealing for anyone who associated with Mr Galea’s and knew of movements in the days and months leading up to his death to contact police.

The burnt out wreckage of Darren Galea's car.