A drug dealer has been found guilty of murder after breaking into a western Sydney home and fatally shooting one of his buyers with a $1,500 debt.
A decision to buy $1,500 worth of cocaine on credit led to a man being murdered weeks later during a home invasion by a drug dealer with a shotgun.
Bahra Youseff murdered 30-year-old Adnan Salameh in front of his partner at their granny flat in Sydney’s western suburb of Tregear on November 30, 2020.
A NSW Supreme Court jury found the 23-year-old guilty of one charge of murder on Tuesday after a lengthy trial that began in August.
During the trial, Crown prosecutor Sylvie Sloane told the jury that Salameh’s partner had bought $1,500 worth of cocaine on credit from Youseff about six weeks before the shooting.
The dealer, along with another man, broke into the couple’s home, armed with a shotgun and wearing balaclavas, and shot at Mr Salameh after lunging at them.
The debt was never repaid and blood was shed.
Mrs Sloane told the jury the couple sold drugs to fund their addictions and had used the drug ‘ice’ shortly before the murder.
A drug dealer has been found guilty of murder after breaking into a western Sydney home (pictured) and fatally shooting one of his buyers with a $1,500 debt
Youseff planned the home invasion after learning that Mr Salameh and his partner had broken into two friends’ home on November 8, 2020 and stolen 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 that Mr Salameh had increased his drug use before he was killed, claiming he refused to pay his debts to others and also defrauded those who bought his product.
Youseff will be sentenced on November 12.