Smithfield: Man’s body in burnt-out car treated as suspicious death
The family of a 22-year-old whose charred body was found in a burning car in a Sydney industrial estate say he wouldn’t hurt a fly.
Police & Courts
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The family of a man whose shot and torched body was found inside a car engulfed in flames on a western Sydney industrial estate wants to know why their “baby boy” was callously executed.
The scorched body of 22-year-old tradie Majid Derbas was found by police called to reports of a flaming SUV ditched in a cul-de-sac in Smithfield on Saturday night.
“How could they kill a baby, he’s only 22, he’s never had any trouble with the police; we were called this morning and told Majid was dead, had been shot in the car and burned,” a relative said on Sunday.
“Why burn our baby boy? Who can be so cruel to do that? Majid is a sweet, sweet kid, he was never in trouble with police, he was a quiet nerd who worked hard and kept his head down.”
Detectives are investigating the motive behind the young man’s killing on Saturday night and are speaking to family and friends in a bid to piece together his last movements.
His stunned family from Greenacre was yesterday gathered outside his home demanding to know why he was executed so callously.
Homicide detectives are treating the death as suspicious and have been combing the area in Hume Street for clues using sniffer dogs. Helicopters have also been conducting aerial searches of the industrial site.
“We’ve been told he was shot, inside the car — we want answers,” another relative said.
“Majid is a good kid. If you knew him, you would want to know why this happened to him.
“He’d never harm a fly.”
Homicide detectives have set up Strike Force Bettington to investigate the circumstances that led to the killing, which is being treated as suspicious.
Anyone with information or dash cam footage is asked to contact Cumberland police or crime stoppers on 1800 333 000.
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