Accused killer is extradited from the US to Australia

A man extradited from the United States has been charged with the murder of Thai national Wachira ‘Mario’ Phetmang, whose body was found bound and gagged on the side of a Sydney road.

Alex Dion, 38, was charged with the 2018 murder of Mr Phetmang on Sunday after he arrived in Sydney from California under police guard.

Mr Phetmang’s body was discovered by a truck driver last June bound, gagged and wrapped in plastic, covered in a mattress protector.

Alex Dion, 38, was charged with the 2018 murder of Mr Phetmang on Sunday after he arrived in Sydney from California under police guard 

An autopsy of his body found he suffered more than 20 wounds to his head and had multiple skull fractures.

The 33-year-old former cafe and spa worker had been living in Australia for at least the last 10 years, and was a permanent resident at the time of his death.

Mr Phetmang was last seen alive on May 25 at a petrol station in the Sydney suburb of South Hurstville.

His body was found a fortnight later on Homebush Bay Drive at Sydney Olympic Park.

Mr Phetmang’s (pictured) body was discovered by a truck driver on Homebush Bay Drive at Sydney Olympic Park, last June

Dion, who is a US national, is believed to have left Australia on May 27 – more than a week before the body was found and formal identification was made.

Australian authorities issued a warrant for his arrest in September 2018.

NSW Police travelled to the US last week to bring Dion back to Australia after he was arrested last year by local authorities for an unrelated matter.

He was escorted from the airport to Sydney Police Centre on Sunday and charged with murder.

Dion was refused bail and will appear before Central Local Court on Monday.

Dion was escorted from the airport to Sydney Police Centre on Sunday and charged with murder 

Mr Dion (pictured) was refused bail and will face Central Local Court tomorrow, Monday 15 April