Drug dealer murdered debtor in home-invasion shooting
A decision to buy $1500 of cocaine on credit led to a man being murdered weeks later by a shotgun-toting drug dealer during a home invasion.
Bahra Youseff killed 30-year-old Adnan Salameh in front of his partner in their granny flat in the western Sydney suburb of Tregear on November 30, 2020.
A NSW Supreme Court jury on Tuesday found the 23-year-old guilty of a single charge of murder after a lengthy trial, which started in August.
During the trial, crown prosecutor Sylvie Sloane told the jury Mr Salameh’s partner bought $1500 worth of cocaine on credit from Youseff around six weeks before the shooting.
The dealer broke into the couple’s home with another man, armed with a shotgun and wearing balaclavas, and fired at Mr Salameh after he lunged at them.
The debt was never settled and blood was shed.
Ms Sloane told the jury the couple were selling drugs to fund their addictions and had used the drug “ice” shortly before the murder.
Youseff planned the home invasion after hearing that Mr Salameh and his partner had broken into the house of two friends on November 8, 2020 and stole some money.
His lawyer John Stratton SC denied there was sufficient evidence to link his client to the murder, a claim rejected by the jury.
Mr Stratton argued Mr Salameh had ramped up his drug use before being killed, alleging he refused to pay his debts to others and had also ripped off those who were buying his product.
Youseff will face a sentence hearing on November 12.
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