Police offer $1m reward to find out who ordered hit on gangland figure Robert Issa
Five men were charged with Mr Issa's murder last week, but homicide detectives are keen to identify crime bosses further up the chain who ordered and paid for the hit.
A 29-year old man from Kew, a 31-year old man from Mickleham, a 33-year old man from Pascoe Vale and two 26-year olds from Fawkner were all charged with murder, attempted murder and arson on Thursday.
Police allege Mr Issa, 27, and another associate, Eric Catanese, were sitting inside a white Mercedes station wagon parked in a shopping centre carpark when gunmen fired shots into their car just before 3pm on October 7, 2023.
Witnesses pulled Mr Issa from the car and attempted to perform CPR until emergency services arrived, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Catanese, from Melbourne's north and now aged 30, was taken to hospital with serious injuries.
The offenders fled the scene in a black Range Rover that was found burnt out in Westmeadows about 30 minutes later.
The Herald Sun reported that Mr Issa had fallen out with underworld figures in the lead-up to his death.
Mr Issa was thought to be associated with a figure linked to the Comanchero bikie gang who was suspected of playing a role in a string of retaliatory fire bombings targeting businesses and residences throughout Melbourne.
The newspaper also reported detectives were investigating if Mr Issa made enemies attempting to break into Victoria's illicit tobacco trade and whether the five men charged over his death were involved in a drive-by shooting at his parents' house.
Homicide squad detectives believe other people have direct knowledge about the motive of the incident and who was involved, including those who ordered the hit.
Detective Inspector Dean Thomas said police knew Mr Issa had connections to organised crime groups and this has added complexity to the investigation, including a motive.
'Five men have been charged for their alleged roles in the shooting on the day, but as we have said, this offending involves more than just those in the car on the night – it's the planning, the financing, those further up the chain and the facilitators,' he said.
'That is the reason for this reward. We know there are others out there and we will take every step in this investigation to identify them.
'If this reward leads to someone coming forward, then any information they provide will be thoroughly investigated.
'We have already made clear we will do everything we can to identify every single person involved in both the planning and the execution, and now there are one million reasons to come forward with any information you may have.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
ABC News
3 minutes ago
- ABC News
Kathleen Folbigg speaks out against 'insulting' $2 million compensation payment
Kathleen Folbigg has vowed to keep on fighting, describing a $2 million ex gratia payment as a "lowball" and "insulting" attempt to compensate her wrongful imprisonment. Once labelled Australia's worst female serial killer, Ms Folbigg was found guilty in 2003 of killing her four young children and spent 20 years behind bars. In 2023, her convictions were quashed when new medical evidence emerged to suggest her children died of natural causes. Last week, the NSW Attorney-General Michael Daley granted her the compensation payout, which has since attracted widespread criticism from legal and scientific experts for being "totally inadequate". Speaking out for the first time, Ms Folbigg said the lack of transparency as to how the state government came to that sum has left her feeling "confused" and "shocked". "Is it set-up money? Or is it just an, 'Okay, we need to get this off our books?'," she said. "It feels like it was a tick the box, let's get this done sort of situation without too much feeling, empathy or understanding going on in the process. "It's pretty much a slap in the face." Ex gratia payments are made at the discretion of the government. Ms Folbigg applied for one in 2024. Ms Folbigg thought her "fighting days" would be over when she received reparations, but instead she felt like it was "go away" money. "We're all exhausted and tired, but it looks like there's one more fight just yet," she said. Having missed what, she called "the best years of her life" in jail, Ms Folbigg had hoped the compensation would help her to be "comfortable for the rest of [her] life," and provide her with some financial security. "Realistically, I've got no option really to be getting [superannuation]. "I'm honest enough to say mental health care is going to be needed for the rest of my life after this, and that is not free." She addedhow her life-long dream to own a home has been crushed, as well as her wish to repay her pro bono legal team. When asked how much the state government should instead have compensated her, she said she was unable to put a number on it. Over two years on from her release, Ms Folbigg feels failed. She claims NSW Premier Chris Minns has refused to sit down with her and her legal team to discuss compensation, and has not offered her an apology. "I've never had a 'Terribly sorry you've gone through this Ms Folbigg and that's a little bit concerning'," she said. On Monday, Mr Minns rejected suggestions the Attorney-General decided on that figure because he "isn't convinced of her innocence," instead doubling down on his previous comments that $2 million was all the state could afford. "Obviously the Attorney-General would never have pardoned Kathleen Folbigg if there was any question about her innocence in the eyes of the law and that shouldn't be forgotten as part of the government's decisions here," Mr Minns said. "We don't have $20 million, $30 million, $15 million just lying around — it necessarily has to come from other programs." Despite conceding the sum does not reflect the length of time Ms Folbigg unjustly spent behind bars, Mr Minns reiterated the 58-year-old and her lawyers were free to sue his government if they wished to seek further compensation. "When you've seen large-scale payments from the government … it's usually, in fact as far as I know, only on the back of a settlement reached between the state and the individual as a result of civil litigation. "This wasn't a settlement, it's an ex gratia payment. "I understand there are people who contributed to Kathleen Folbigg's release who were pro bono for her over that period of time, but I need to make a decision on whether the state government has to pay those lawyers, and I can't justify it," he said. Ms Folbigg has always maintained her innocence over the deaths of her children Caleb, Patrick, Sarah and Laura Folbigg. They all died when they were babies or toddlers between 1989 and 1999, in the state's Hunter region. While she managed to grieve their deaths "in a very different manner", Ms Folbigg said she has particularly struggled to move on from her youngest, Laura's passing. "I think enough time has gone past … I don't baulk at talking about them," she said. "They deserve the respect [of] being spoken about. They existed, they lived, they died." Two decades after she was wrongfully convicted, new genetic testing helped cast reasonable doubt over her guilt. Ms Folbigg said that if she's awarded further compensation in the future, she wants to help people with cases like hers, and bring genetic testing to the forefront of evidence. She also wishes to support women who have experienced losing children.
ABC News
3 minutes ago
- ABC News
Close call videos at Tasmanian rail crossings released in TasRail plea for safety
Near misses. Close calls. Narrow escapes. None of these phrases quite captures the recklessness of driving in front of a train. As TasRail boss Steven Dietrich said, "Locomotives do not apologise". This week is Rail Safety Week, an annual campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of trains and railway crossings. To mark the occasion, TasRail has shared several videos of cars — and one pedestrian — crossing tracks, despite a train bearing down on them. TasRail is urging drivers to be safer and more sensible around level crossings, but reported a "significant increase" in safety incidents in the past year. It says the number of documented incidents of people failing to give way to trains at level crossings has doubled to 137 in 2024-25. More than 80 of those were in the state's northwest. There were also two collisions between trains and other vehicles in the past year. Mr Deitrich said a tractor failed to give way to a train at Spreyton, and in another incident at Western Junction, a car collided with the side of a train. Train driver Jarrod Cook said his train collided with a truck at a level crossing 18 months ago, causing a derailment. "That's not something that I want to ever experience again," he said. "If I had one message for the public, that would be change your behaviour around level crossings. "Stop, take a few extra seconds. Look left, look right twice, and then proceed. Mr Dietrich said the story highlighted how driver behaviour can traumatise TasRail staff. "We all come to work expecting to be safe in our work environments," he said. "It's not different for a train driver or an infrastructure worker working on the rail network. He said that although this week is Rail Safety Week, rail safety should be practised "every minute, every second of the day". As well as the call for safer driving at level crossings, Mr Dietrich said TasRail had been granted $4 million from the federal government and $1 million from the state to improve safety at several level crossings. Most of the upgrades will occur at Ulverstone in the state's northwest, where five crossings will be improved. Three crossings will also have flashing stop signs installed, and road markings will be improved at some crossings to improve safety. He said boom gates at some level crossings may be considered in the future, but noted that they came with other risks. "Improving the technology that we've got available at the moment will go a long way to improving safety right through Ulverstone and Devonport," he said. Despite the upgrades, however, Mr Dietrich said it was incumbent on drivers to ensure they were abiding by road rules. "When you see the bells and whistles, please stop," he said. "There's only one party that has a choice, one user at that level crossing has a choice to make the right decision. Tasmania Police Acting Inspector Martin Parker reinforced Mr Dietrich's comments. "Inattention is one of the biggest factors in serious and fatal road incidents this year," he said. "The consequences can be very serious. Trains can't stop on a dime."
News.com.au
3 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Mark Ludbrook accused of murdering friend Autumn Baker with steak knife
A woman was knifed to death after attempting to stop a friend from stabbing himself in the stomach while in a drug-affected state, a court has been told. Partially paralysed, Mark Ludbrook, 53, appeared in the Victorian Supreme Court on Monday using a motorised wheelchair as his trial over the death of Autumn Baker began. He has pleaded not guilty to murder, with his defence barrister Emily Clark telling the jury Mr Ludbrook was not acting consciously, voluntarily or deliberately when he caused her death. Outlining the prosecution case, crown prosecutor Jim Shaw said it was alleged Mr Ludbrook murdered Ms Baker by stabbing her twice in the chest with a steak knife in the afternoon of August 3, 2023. He told the court it was the crown's case the pair were friends, with Ms Baker arriving at his Hoppers Crossing home about 12.55pm for an unannounced social visit. But Mr Shaw said he expects Mr Ludbrook's carer, Amber Davidson, to give evidence he was acting 'irrationally' and 'strangely' from earlier that morning. He told the court Mr Ludbrook had been diagnosed the year prior with a rare neurological condition affecting the spine, transverse myelitis, leaving him mostly wheelchair-bound and in need of carers. 'He needed them because he could only walk a few steps at a time,' the prosecutor said. Mr Shaw alleged Mr Ludbrook had turned to the illicit drugs ketamine and eticyclidine, or PCE, to manage his chronic pain and had taken PCE earlier that day. Mr Shaw said he expects Ms Davidson will give evidence she watched Mr Ludbook undress, walk naked through the house and into the backyard 'where he continued to behave irrationally'. 'Ms Davidson was concerned; she took a couple of short videos of him standing in the backyard naked and saying strange things,' he told the jury. A short time after Ms Baker arrived, Mr Shaw said it was alleged Mr Ludbrook took a steak knife from the kitchen draw and walk back to his bedroom. He said Ms Davidson followed out of concern, and found the accused man lying, still naked, 'poking himself in the stomach'. The jury was told the two women attempted to stop Mr Ludbook and Ms Davidson stepped out to call triple-0, only to hear Ms Baker scream. Mr Shaw said she re-entered the bedroom to allegedly find Mr Ludbrook standing over Ms Baker and was chased out of the room. Three minutes of body worn footage played to the jury captured the moment a police officer searching the home found Ms Baker lying on the floor covered with blood. 'Oh s--t,' the officer could be heard exclaiming. 'She's not conscious, not breathing… she was stabbed in the chest.' The jury was told Mr Ludbrook was restrained and sedated in the backyard and was taken to hospital with self-inflicted knife wounds. In response, Ms Clark described what happened to Ms Baker as a 'terrible, terrible tragedy' and said Mr Ludbrook agreed he was the one that caused her death. She said the defence did not dispute that Mr Ludbrook had taken PCE earlier that day, was behaving strangely and saying bizarre things, and that there was a background of arguments and disagreements in his friendship with Ms Baker. 'What's not agreed is that Mr Ludbrook intended to cause harm to Autumn Baker,' the defence barrister said. 'What's not agreed that when he caused her harm he was in control of his actions; in a right mind.' Ms Clark said the defence would be calling two expert witnesses, a forensic psychiatrist and an anesthetist, to give opinions on Mr Ludbrook's state of mind. 'Mr Ludbrook does not agree he was acting in a conscious, voluntary and deliberate way when he caused the death of Ms Baker,' she said. 'What is in issue in this trial is the state of mind of Mark Ludbrook… Or was he so affected by PCE he was incapable.'
