Minutes before she was brutally executed, Thi Kim Tran's alleged killers fired off one last image of her alive to their intended target – her husband.
Three men accused of being part of the "kill crew" were charged on Friday as NSW Police revealed more details of the kidnapping and death of the woman from suburban Sydney.
The 45-year-old's body was found bound and gagged in the back of a burnt-out SUV in the city's southwest on April 17.
Investigators believe her husband was involved in a Victoria-based crime gang who thought he had stolen up to 80kg of drugs from the syndicate.
On the day of the murder, the alleged hitmen tried to draw him out and recover the drugs, according to police.
After failing to pin down his location, the alleged hitmen donned dark clothing, covered their faces and stormed into his Bankstown home armed with at least one baseball bat, investigators said.
Tran was allegedly dragged out, stripped naked, bound and bundled into their vehicle, which sped off.
Further attempts to rouse the husband were made over an encrypted messaging platform, police allege, and an image of his abducted wife was sent.
But, after 40 minutes without a response, the trio executed their hostage and set alight the vehicle with her in it in nearby Beverley Hills, according to detectives.
Tran had not been aware of her husband's dealings, Detective Superintendent Joe Doueihi said.
"These young criminals are ruthless, they don't care about the code," he told reporters on Friday. "It's no longer 'families are off limits', it's about what's in their best interest.
"They're selfish, they're greedy, they don't think of the consequences – these guys are in big trouble."
The group also allegedly assaulted an eight-year-old boy with a baseball bat as the incident unfolded.
He was expected to sustain lifetime injuries, but had recovered "really well psychologically", Doueihi said.
A 15-year-old boy, who was also present at the time, was taken to hospital for assessment.
Following extensive investigations, the three men who detectives alleged were part of Tran's "kill team" walked into Parramatta police station on Thursday and were arrested.
Each was charged with murder and other offences, including conspiring to murder Tran's husband and seriously wounding the eight-year-old.
The identities of the men, aged 20 to 32, cannot be disclosed for legal reasons.
They were allegedly "guns for hire" and "very well known to police" with links to criminal groups, Doueihi said.
"They go out, they purchase the kill kit, they purchase clothing, they purchase whatever else they require to complete their task," he said.
"They prostitute themselves to whoever pays the biggest amount."
The men were remanded in custody after a brief court mention on Friday, with the case returning to court on November 17.
The search goes on for the person who ordered the hit, but they were believed to hold a high position in the criminal organisation.
It is unclear whether the order was made from overseas or within Australia's borders.
The husband has continued to communicate and cooperate with the police, and his location remained secret.
A fourth man, 29, was charged in August with murder and wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm over the same alleged attack. He remains before the court.
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