EXCLUSIVE
The trio accused of kidnapping and shooting a man before leaving him naked and bleeding at a remote bushland beauty spot are all parents of young children.
Nykeeta Jones, 38, Dahkota Harris, 27, and Matthew McDonald, 25, allegedly abducted Joshua Dempsey, 32, from a home in Port Macquarie, on the NSW north coast, at around 6pm on November 16.
The trio allegedly drove him 30 km west to Bago Bluff National Park and then shot him multiple times in the arms and legs before leaving him to bleed to death.
He was found the next morning by a trail runner who called emergency services. He was treated by ambulance personnel and rushed to hospital in serious condition.
Jones and McDonald were arrested several days later in WA in a dramatic arrest captured on video, while Harris was taken into custody in NSW more than two weeks later.
Now Daily Mail Australia can reveal all three suspects are young parents living locally on the Mid North Coast.
After growing up in the area, McDonald, a gym enthusiast and trader, briefly moved to Perth a few years ago before recently returning to NSW.
Nykeeta Jones, 38, has been charged with kidnapping, attempted murder and firearms offences
Police allege Mr Dempsey was taken to Bago Bluff National Park (pictured) and shot
Matthew McDonald, 25, has also been charged in connection with the alleged kidnapping
Photos on social media show him flexing his muscles in the gym and posing for selfies in his striking work uniform.
He’s also an Australian rap fanatic, who regularly shared videos of himself spitting lines in an amateur rapping Facebook group.
Like McDonald, Jones also comes from a large local family.
Posts on social media suggest she is a poker fanatic who has played tournaments at the local RSL and carried out ‘home duties’ for a maritime company.
Photos posted online show her posing for selfies in lingerie and celebrating the holidays with her family in matching Christmas outfits.
Meanwhile, Harris, who was described by police as ‘known to them’, regularly shared photos online of herself doting on her two children, the dog and her partner.
The cheerful shots show the young family celebrating birthdays, celebrating school milestones, enjoying trips away from home and dressing up for Halloween.
Police are yet to reveal what they will allege prompted the attack as the case is still before the courts.
Dahkota Harris, 27, (pictured) was arrested after allegedly spending more than two weeks on the run
Photos posted online portray her as a family-oriented young mother
Police surround the Jones and McDonald vehicle in Balladonia
During a search of the house, the police found a sawed-off shotgun. The photo shows the arrest
However, police will allege Jones and McDonald fled to Western Australia in a 2014 Holden SUV after the kidnapping, before being taken down by police in a dramatic arrest.
Five days after the alleged kidnapping, their SUV was swarmed by WA police officers in Balladonia, just south of Kalgoorlie, after local officers received a tip-off from their NSW counterparts that the pair had left the state.
During a search of the vehicle, which had mechanical problems, police reportedly found a loaded sawed-off shotgun.
The pair were taken to Perth and extradited to NSW days later where they were charged.
Harris is believed to have been on the run for two weeks until she was arrested during a vehicle stop on Macleay Way, South Kempsey, on December 2.
Police believe she was in the backseat of the car.
Jones, McDonald and Harris have all been charged with alleged kidnapping and attempted murder.
Jones has also been charged with possession of a shortened firearm (not a pistol) without authorization, possession of ammunition without a license/permit/authorization and possession of an unauthorized pistol.
All three suspects have been denied bail and remain in custody.
Jones and McDonald will face Port Macquarie Local Court on February 20 and January 22 respectively, while Harris will appear in Kempsey Local Court on January 23.