A Sydney mother is pleading for answers after her 34-year-old son, James Pakis, was found fatally stabbed during a welfare check — and police have released chilling CCTV footage of a hooded figure leaving the scene.
“All he was doing was going out for a drink with his friend and watching football or something,” his mother, Lena Pakis, told The Sydney Morning Herald. “You have to be able to go out and not worry about if someone is going to stab you, or if your kid is not going to come home that night.”
“I just want Jamie to get justice,” she said. “He did not deserve this.”
Officers were dispatched to a home on Lakeba Street in Belmore, in Sydney’s southwest, shortly before 9 p.m. on March 15, according to a statement from New South Wales Police.
When they arrived, they discovered Pakis unresponsive with multiple stab wounds, with a 24-year-old man providing medical care.
Two days later, detectives arrested a 21-year-old man at Bankstown Police Station and charged him with murder in connection with Pakis’ death, according to the release. Police did not identify the man or provide additional information about his involvement. According to the Herald, he is still being held in jail without bail.
They are still looking for another person of interest, who was seen leaving the scene with a blue bag and wearing a hood and black clothes on CCTV. The department released the footage this week.
The person was seen entering a black Honda Jazz with a damaged rear window.
“We believe they are aware of this alleged murder, which is why we are now seeking public assistance in identifying those individuals and locating the vehicle of interest,” Detective Inspector Craig Brooks told the Herald.
“This is a horrific offense,” he told the media. “[James] was a young 34-year-old man and obviously we want to see justice for his family.”
Anyone with information should call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-333-000 or Campsie Police.