PE Teacher Arrested for Alleged Murder Conspiracy in Sydney Gangland Case

A female physical education teacher, Ashleigh Ann Seeney, 28, has been arrested and charged with conspiracy to murder, days after being granted bail for alleged involvement in a previous shooting death.

Seeney, who teaches at Airds High School, was taken into custody on Tuesday evening. Police allege the new conspiracy plot involves an individual at the center of an internal conflict within an organized crime group. She faces additional charges including participating in a criminal group and failing to disclose the identity of a driver or passenger.

Detective Superintendent Jason Box, commander of Taskforce Falcon, stated that this alleged plot is not connected to the ongoing conflict between the Alameddine organized crime network and the rival Coconut Cartel.

This development follows Seeney's arrest the previous week for her alleged role as a lookout for the gunman in the fatal shooting of Joshua MacDonald, 40, on September 2 in Merrylands West. Police suspect MacDonald's death was a mistaken identity gangland hit. He was killed while walking to a residence.

Seeney had initially been charged with accessory after the fact to murder, participating in a criminal group, and failing to comply with a digital evidence access order. She was granted conditional bail on Saturday and subsequently released. However, just hours after her release, she was re-arrested at Wollongong Police Station on the new allegations.

During a bail hearing on Wednesday, Seeney's barrister argued that the new charges did not directly link to her previous alleged offenses and that police had ample opportunity to charge her while she was in custody. Despite these arguments, a judge revoked Seeney's bail, and she was remanded into custody. She is scheduled to appear before Parramatta Local Court on November 19.

The NSW Department of Education has confirmed that Seeney has been stood down from her teaching position. Investigations into the alleged plots are ongoing under Strike Force Haleno.

MacDonald's family has stated he had no known links to organized crime and was not the intended target. It is understood he was visiting a home with occupants allegedly known to police for organized crime activity. His aunt and uncle recounted that MacDonald died protecting his best friend's young children, describing him as a kind-hearted individual.

The day before MacDonald's death, 23-year-old Marco Tapia was fatally shot in his bedroom in Glen Alpine. Two teenage boys, aged 14 and 16, have since been arrested and charged with murder and participating in a criminal group in connection with Tapia's death. Tapia had no known criminal history beyond a traffic offense.