Najma Carroll allegedly killed with baseball bat, rock after bad drug deal

Najma Carroll’s horrifically beaten and burnt body lay abandoned in bushland south of Sydney for 15 days before it was discovered by a man walking his dog.

A former private school student who descended into drug addiction was allegedly bashed to death with a baseball bat and rock, in what police allege was a drug deal gone wrong.

Najma Carroll’s horrifically  beaten body lay abandoned in bushland at Menai, south of Sydney, for 15 days before it was discovered by a man walking his dog on July 29 last year.

After seven months NSW Police have now charged mates Robert Sloan, 57, and Benjamin Parkes, 43, with Ms Carroll’s murder.

Najma Carroll’s body was found in bushland near Sandy Point Quarry off Heathcote Road, Menai on July 29 last year. Picture: Supplied

Benjamin Parkes, 43, was arrested on Wednesday and charged with the murder of Najma Carroll. Picture: Facebook

Sloan and Parkes, a Rebels bikie associate, were charged on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively.

Homicide Squad Commander Superintendent Danny Doherty said police will allege Ms Carroll had met the two men in the days before she was killed, when all three were staying at Hunts Hotel in Casula.

“Najma was last seen alive around July 11, 2020 at this hotel in Casula where she’d been staying,” Det Supt Doherty said.

“These men had also been staying at the same complex.

“Police believe the actual murder happened on July 14, some 15 days prior to her body being found and that the actual murder happened at Menai where she was located.”

The alleged murder weapons were not found at the scene.

Police will allege in court that after carrying out the gruesome murder the two men set Ms Carroll’s body on fire.

They then allegedly did the same to her Mercedes car, which was found not far from her body.

“We believe that (setting her body alight) was an attempt to try to hide any evidence in relation to the body … it was a horrific crime,” Det Supt Doherty said.

Police will allege in court that after carrying out the gruesome murder the two men set Ms Carroll’s body on fire. Picture: Supplied

Ms Carroll had been a star student at the selective Sydney Girls High School before becoming addicted to drugs. Picture: Supplied.

Ms Carroll was a star student at Sydney Girls High and had hopes of a bright future when she graduated in 2004.

But once out of school she became addicted to ice, with the drug leading her down a path of self destruction and unstable work, as well as homelessness.

In a statement released through NSW Police, Ms Carroll’s mother said her daughter’s downfall from promising selective school student to drug addict and victim was a cautionary tale for parents.

“I would like to thank the man that found Najma, the support from the Homicide Victim support group and the police investigating her death,” Najma’s mum said.

“Najma was my beloved daughter who has a loving, generous and courageous spirit.

“Najma struggled with addiction from her teenage years, but she never resorted to crime to feed that addiction.

“We need to educate our sons and daughters that violence towards women is not acceptable and that culture needs to change.

“I thank everyone who has come forward and urge anyone with more information to contact police.”

Sloan and Parkes are both due to face Sutherland Local Court via audio visual link on Wednesday.