Latest news with #HomicideSquad
The Advertiser
2 days ago
- The Advertiser
Second man pleads guilty to murder over home invasion shooting of Zachery Davies-Scott
TWO weeks after Gino Ricardo Delpiero admitted to executing Zachery Davies-Scott in front of his family at Heddon Greta in 2022, a second man has pleaded guilty to murder over the bungled home invasion shooting. Talon Dean, 26, beamed into Newcastle Local Court on Wednesday via audio visual link from jail where Mr Davies-Scott's mother and father watched as he pleaded guilty to his role in the 25-year-old's senseless shooting death. Mr Davies-Scott, known to many as Donnie, was shot dead in his home in Traders Way about 10.50pm on December 27, 2022. Detectives have been told a group of people forced their way into the home and executed Mr Davies-Scott in what is alleged to have been a "home invasion gone wrong". A 52-year-old woman also sustained minor injuries after attempting to fight off the alleged intruders. Other family members home at the time - including two children, aged two and four, and Mr Davies-Scott's pregnant partner - witnessed the shooting, but were uninjured, police have said. The group fled the scene in a white SUV, and detectives in February, 2023 seized a 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander at Boolaroo. Homicide Squad detectives under Strike Force Roslyn have since arrested and charged five people over Mr Davies-Scott's death, including charging four men with murder and a woman with hindering the investigation. Two of the men - Dean and Jarryd Nickerson - were arrested and charged within the space of a few days in late October and early November 2023, while Delpiero was arrested at Elermore Vale in January, 2024. Delpeiro earlier this month became the first person to plead guilty to murder, admitting he was the gunman who shot Mr Davies-Scott during the home invasion. Delpiero claimed he had "no intention to kill or inflict grievous bodily harm on the unfortunate victim", but acknowledged he was guilty of murder on the basis that he had participated in an armed robbery during which Mr Davies-Scott had died, the court heard. Delpiero and Dean will both appear in NSW Supreme Court in September to get a sentence date. Nickerson has not entered a plea to murder and will next appear in Newcastle Local Court next week. A fourth man, 45-year-old Mathew Robert Houghton, was arrested earlier this year and charged with murder, detectives alleging he was part of a joint criminal enterprise to murder Mr Davies-Scott, assisting the group before and after the home invasion. It had been nearly two-and-a-half years after the alleged murder and more than a year after the last of the accused killers were charged when detectives raided a house at Lambton on May 15 and arrested the 45-year-old. During the search, police allegedly seized a replica pistol, knuckle dusters, prohibited drugs and a stolen vehicle. Houghton's matter is next listed in September for prosecutors to finalise the charges against the 45-year-old. A fifth person, Sarah Jane Stackman, pleaded guilty to hindering the investigation into Mr Davies-Scott's murder and was last year ordered to serve a 15-month home detention order. Stackman, acting out of loyalty to Nickerson, who the court heard was her "on-and-off-again partner", had admitted to lying to police and hiding potential evidence from investigators. The court heard Stackman had moved Mr Nickerson's clothing, instructed others to help remove clues that he had been at her house and deleted possible evidence from her phone between June 2023 and when she was arrested in January 2024. TWO weeks after Gino Ricardo Delpiero admitted to executing Zachery Davies-Scott in front of his family at Heddon Greta in 2022, a second man has pleaded guilty to murder over the bungled home invasion shooting. Talon Dean, 26, beamed into Newcastle Local Court on Wednesday via audio visual link from jail where Mr Davies-Scott's mother and father watched as he pleaded guilty to his role in the 25-year-old's senseless shooting death. Mr Davies-Scott, known to many as Donnie, was shot dead in his home in Traders Way about 10.50pm on December 27, 2022. Detectives have been told a group of people forced their way into the home and executed Mr Davies-Scott in what is alleged to have been a "home invasion gone wrong". A 52-year-old woman also sustained minor injuries after attempting to fight off the alleged intruders. Other family members home at the time - including two children, aged two and four, and Mr Davies-Scott's pregnant partner - witnessed the shooting, but were uninjured, police have said. The group fled the scene in a white SUV, and detectives in February, 2023 seized a 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander at Boolaroo. Homicide Squad detectives under Strike Force Roslyn have since arrested and charged five people over Mr Davies-Scott's death, including charging four men with murder and a woman with hindering the investigation. Two of the men - Dean and Jarryd Nickerson - were arrested and charged within the space of a few days in late October and early November 2023, while Delpiero was arrested at Elermore Vale in January, 2024. Delpeiro earlier this month became the first person to plead guilty to murder, admitting he was the gunman who shot Mr Davies-Scott during the home invasion. Delpiero claimed he had "no intention to kill or inflict grievous bodily harm on the unfortunate victim", but acknowledged he was guilty of murder on the basis that he had participated in an armed robbery during which Mr Davies-Scott had died, the court heard. Delpiero and Dean will both appear in NSW Supreme Court in September to get a sentence date. Nickerson has not entered a plea to murder and will next appear in Newcastle Local Court next week. A fourth man, 45-year-old Mathew Robert Houghton, was arrested earlier this year and charged with murder, detectives alleging he was part of a joint criminal enterprise to murder Mr Davies-Scott, assisting the group before and after the home invasion. It had been nearly two-and-a-half years after the alleged murder and more than a year after the last of the accused killers were charged when detectives raided a house at Lambton on May 15 and arrested the 45-year-old. During the search, police allegedly seized a replica pistol, knuckle dusters, prohibited drugs and a stolen vehicle. Houghton's matter is next listed in September for prosecutors to finalise the charges against the 45-year-old. A fifth person, Sarah Jane Stackman, pleaded guilty to hindering the investigation into Mr Davies-Scott's murder and was last year ordered to serve a 15-month home detention order. Stackman, acting out of loyalty to Nickerson, who the court heard was her "on-and-off-again partner", had admitted to lying to police and hiding potential evidence from investigators. The court heard Stackman had moved Mr Nickerson's clothing, instructed others to help remove clues that he had been at her house and deleted possible evidence from her phone between June 2023 and when she was arrested in January 2024. TWO weeks after Gino Ricardo Delpiero admitted to executing Zachery Davies-Scott in front of his family at Heddon Greta in 2022, a second man has pleaded guilty to murder over the bungled home invasion shooting. Talon Dean, 26, beamed into Newcastle Local Court on Wednesday via audio visual link from jail where Mr Davies-Scott's mother and father watched as he pleaded guilty to his role in the 25-year-old's senseless shooting death. Mr Davies-Scott, known to many as Donnie, was shot dead in his home in Traders Way about 10.50pm on December 27, 2022. Detectives have been told a group of people forced their way into the home and executed Mr Davies-Scott in what is alleged to have been a "home invasion gone wrong". A 52-year-old woman also sustained minor injuries after attempting to fight off the alleged intruders. Other family members home at the time - including two children, aged two and four, and Mr Davies-Scott's pregnant partner - witnessed the shooting, but were uninjured, police have said. The group fled the scene in a white SUV, and detectives in February, 2023 seized a 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander at Boolaroo. Homicide Squad detectives under Strike Force Roslyn have since arrested and charged five people over Mr Davies-Scott's death, including charging four men with murder and a woman with hindering the investigation. Two of the men - Dean and Jarryd Nickerson - were arrested and charged within the space of a few days in late October and early November 2023, while Delpiero was arrested at Elermore Vale in January, 2024. Delpeiro earlier this month became the first person to plead guilty to murder, admitting he was the gunman who shot Mr Davies-Scott during the home invasion. Delpiero claimed he had "no intention to kill or inflict grievous bodily harm on the unfortunate victim", but acknowledged he was guilty of murder on the basis that he had participated in an armed robbery during which Mr Davies-Scott had died, the court heard. Delpiero and Dean will both appear in NSW Supreme Court in September to get a sentence date. Nickerson has not entered a plea to murder and will next appear in Newcastle Local Court next week. A fourth man, 45-year-old Mathew Robert Houghton, was arrested earlier this year and charged with murder, detectives alleging he was part of a joint criminal enterprise to murder Mr Davies-Scott, assisting the group before and after the home invasion. It had been nearly two-and-a-half years after the alleged murder and more than a year after the last of the accused killers were charged when detectives raided a house at Lambton on May 15 and arrested the 45-year-old. During the search, police allegedly seized a replica pistol, knuckle dusters, prohibited drugs and a stolen vehicle. Houghton's matter is next listed in September for prosecutors to finalise the charges against the 45-year-old. A fifth person, Sarah Jane Stackman, pleaded guilty to hindering the investigation into Mr Davies-Scott's murder and was last year ordered to serve a 15-month home detention order. Stackman, acting out of loyalty to Nickerson, who the court heard was her "on-and-off-again partner", had admitted to lying to police and hiding potential evidence from investigators. The court heard Stackman had moved Mr Nickerson's clothing, instructed others to help remove clues that he had been at her house and deleted possible evidence from her phone between June 2023 and when she was arrested in January 2024. TWO weeks after Gino Ricardo Delpiero admitted to executing Zachery Davies-Scott in front of his family at Heddon Greta in 2022, a second man has pleaded guilty to murder over the bungled home invasion shooting. Talon Dean, 26, beamed into Newcastle Local Court on Wednesday via audio visual link from jail where Mr Davies-Scott's mother and father watched as he pleaded guilty to his role in the 25-year-old's senseless shooting death. Mr Davies-Scott, known to many as Donnie, was shot dead in his home in Traders Way about 10.50pm on December 27, 2022. Detectives have been told a group of people forced their way into the home and executed Mr Davies-Scott in what is alleged to have been a "home invasion gone wrong". A 52-year-old woman also sustained minor injuries after attempting to fight off the alleged intruders. Other family members home at the time - including two children, aged two and four, and Mr Davies-Scott's pregnant partner - witnessed the shooting, but were uninjured, police have said. The group fled the scene in a white SUV, and detectives in February, 2023 seized a 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander at Boolaroo. Homicide Squad detectives under Strike Force Roslyn have since arrested and charged five people over Mr Davies-Scott's death, including charging four men with murder and a woman with hindering the investigation. Two of the men - Dean and Jarryd Nickerson - were arrested and charged within the space of a few days in late October and early November 2023, while Delpiero was arrested at Elermore Vale in January, 2024. Delpeiro earlier this month became the first person to plead guilty to murder, admitting he was the gunman who shot Mr Davies-Scott during the home invasion. Delpiero claimed he had "no intention to kill or inflict grievous bodily harm on the unfortunate victim", but acknowledged he was guilty of murder on the basis that he had participated in an armed robbery during which Mr Davies-Scott had died, the court heard. Delpiero and Dean will both appear in NSW Supreme Court in September to get a sentence date. Nickerson has not entered a plea to murder and will next appear in Newcastle Local Court next week. A fourth man, 45-year-old Mathew Robert Houghton, was arrested earlier this year and charged with murder, detectives alleging he was part of a joint criminal enterprise to murder Mr Davies-Scott, assisting the group before and after the home invasion. It had been nearly two-and-a-half years after the alleged murder and more than a year after the last of the accused killers were charged when detectives raided a house at Lambton on May 15 and arrested the 45-year-old. During the search, police allegedly seized a replica pistol, knuckle dusters, prohibited drugs and a stolen vehicle. Houghton's matter is next listed in September for prosecutors to finalise the charges against the 45-year-old. A fifth person, Sarah Jane Stackman, pleaded guilty to hindering the investigation into Mr Davies-Scott's murder and was last year ordered to serve a 15-month home detention order. Stackman, acting out of loyalty to Nickerson, who the court heard was her "on-and-off-again partner", had admitted to lying to police and hiding potential evidence from investigators. The court heard Stackman had moved Mr Nickerson's clothing, instructed others to help remove clues that he had been at her house and deleted possible evidence from her phone between June 2023 and when she was arrested in January 2024.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Daily Mail
Coroner breaks down as he closes inquest into brutal murder of Indian mum - after bombshell new clue was revealed on the final day of evidence
A male magistrate was overcome with emotion as he closed the inquest into the mysterious fatal stabbing of an Indian mum in a Sydney park. NSW Deputy State Coroner Magistrate David O'Neil found Prabha Kumar, 41, died by homicide from multiple stab wounds to the neck by a person or persons unknown on March 7, 2015 at Parramatta in Sydney's west. He formally recommended the matter be referred to the unsolved homicide squad for further investigation. His voice cracked as he thanked the murdered woman's family members, which included Ms Kumar's daughter Meghana, 21, who was watching from India, and the victim's sister and niece, Shubha and Aranya, who were in court. The coroner said that it was the 'heartfelt wish' of Ms Kumar's family 'that the perpetrator or perpetrators are brought to justice'. He said that of all the possible explanations for the murder - including a possible sex attack, racial assault or robbery - police consider a targeted killing the most likely explanation. He reached his findings after it was revealed that mystery DNA had been found on Ms Kumar's backpack after the deadly attack. Analysis of her clothing and bag discovered a mixed DNA profile - including hers and that of a male - on the front zip area of her backpack. The sample, named Profile D, did not match any other on the national criminal investigation database. Following the inquest's conclusion, Homicide Squad Commander Detective Superintendent Joe Doueihi re-appealed for information about the murder. NSW Police have now offered a $1million reward for any new leads that result in the arrest and conviction of her killer. The inquest heard a suspicious person 'dressed all in black' was seen both before and after the deadly attack, and was captured on CCTV footage played at the inquest on Monday. The coroner was told Ms Kumar's husband, Arun Kumar, had been having an affair, had just renewed his wife's life insurance, and changed the PIN on her bank account an hour before her stabbing. Two days after the murder, as Mr Kumar flew to Australia after deleting messages between himself and his lover in India, she texted him, saying: 'Idiot, you've got to be strong. 'Do you need me to come?' At the time of her murder, Ms Kumar was on a long phone call to her husband in India. He has since given three different versions to police of what he heard during the call. The inquest was told detectives are still investigating whether Mr Kumar could have organised the hit on his wife. Ms Kumar's only child, daughter Megahana, 21, watched the two-day inquest by audio video link from India on Monday as it was shown video of her mother's final moments. Counsel Assisting the inquest Jillian Caldwell said Ms Kumar was clearly 'relaxed' while on the phone to Arun until she was attacked without warning. As she commuted home by train from her IT job at an office in Rhodes to Parramatta via Strathfield, she looked 'unconcerned' as she crossed the street. However, the CCTV footage cuts out just as the 41-year-old was walking past Evolve Housing on Argyle Street at 9.17pm on March 7, 2015. 'This is the last image of Prabha,' Ms Caldwell said. '(She) is talking on her phone to Arun. There is no-one behind her. She's not concerned about her whereabouts.' The footage was captured 130m from where she was stabbed, which was only 300m from her Westmead home. Mr Kumar's account of what happened next varies in differing statements he gave police. The inquest heard that prior to her death, Prabha's husband Arun (pictured at his wife's funeral in Bangalore) had been having an affair, had renewed her life insurance and changed the PIN on her bank account an hour before the fatal stabbing Initially, he said he could not hear another person, but later said he could clearly hear the voice of his wife's attacker. After arriving in Australia, Mr Kumar told police on March 9, 2015, that his wife had told him in the moments before the attack that 'a guy completely covered in black … suddenly passed me'. He said she had cried out, 'Please do not do anything to me … I will give, I will give', before she screamed loudly when she was stabbed. In that interview, Mr Kumar said he didn't hear anything else. But in November that year, he said that after pleading with her attacker not to hurt her, she then cried out after being attacked, 'You have stabbed me, no-one is around'. In February 2016, he told detectives he could hear someone in the background making demands of her. One of Ms Kumar's flatmates, Sarada, also gave a different account of what her husband told her had happened. On the evening of the attack, Sarada, who had never previously spoken with Mr Kumar, had eight missed calls from him. He told her: 'Sarada Sarada, I'm Prabha's husband. It looks like Prabha is in danger, can you go to the park?' When Sarada ran straight to the park and saw police and an ambulance, she called Mr Kumar back and asked how he knew his wife was in danger. She said Mr Kumar told her his wife 'saw a guy in black and told him, 'Don't do anything to me. I'll give you anything I have' and had then said, 'He stabbed me'. A passer-by found Ms Kumar facedown and bleeding profusely on the footpath. One man, then a student, recalled hearing two screams and went to investigate. He heard 'screaming, loud, intense, it sounded like someone being attacked' and then 'heard a second scream, louder, more of a crying scream,' Ms Caldwell said. Police and an ambulance initially couldn't find Ms Kumar, but when she was located, her heart was beating and she had a pulse. Paramedics rushed her to Westmead Hospital, applying ventilation and adrenaline en route. By 11pm, three cardiac specialists were operating on her wounds to stem the blood flow. But by 12.15am, Ms Kumar started to deteriorate and her blood pressure dropped. She died half an hour later. NSW Police told the inquest Mr Kumar remains one of several persons of interest.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Daily Mail
Horrific new details emerge of how burlesque dancer died while she tried to flee flames engulfing her home - as cops name prime suspect accused of masterminding bungled arson attack and why it happened
Tobacco wars kingpin Kaz Hamad and his 'buffoon' hitmen are being hunted by Victorian police for the bungled murder of Melbourne woman Katie Tangey. Ms Tangey, otherwise known as Vivien May-Royale, died in the targeted house fire in Truganina, in Melbourne's west, in the early hours of January 16. She made a desperate triple-0 call shortly after 2am, telling the operator she couldn't get out of the burning house in Dover Street. Ms Tangey then desperately tried to escape the inferno through a window on the top floor of the home, but she became trapped and burnt to death in the flames. On Monday, Victoria Police offered a $500,000 reward for anyone who could help bring Ms Tangey's killers to justice. Two men who started the blaze are still on the run, but police have now publicly admitted for the first time that they believe Hamad ordered the bungled firebombing. 'I'm six months into the investigation now and what I can say is this - yes, he's involved,' Homicide Squad Detective Inspector Chris Murray said on Monday. 'From the information we have, the illegal tobacco trade is front and centre as to why this incident occurred. 'We know there was a theft of (Hamad's) commodities, being illegal tobacco and we know that he sought retribution. 'Unfortunately... the two buffoons who committed this act targeted the wrong address.' Inspector Murray said he was not suggesting Hamad deliberately targeted Ms Tangey, but his alleged tasking of the job was ultimately behind the crime. 'We know he's overseas. We're all ears,' he said. 'In fairness, I'd say even he would be disgusted as to what's transpired here. 'If he's got any sense of decency, I'm sure he can get us on the phone and let us know the two individuals who actually did this. 'They should be held accountable. They should be held responsible and brought to justice so we can give some closure to Katie's family.' Detectives refused to reveal who they believe was Hamad's real target for the firebombing on the night Ms Tangey died. 'We're very confident that we know the motive,' Det Insp Murray said. 'We're fairly solid on the motive now. We're fairly solid on what's transpired. Our focus is to identify those two individuals who committed this act. 'Others can be held accountable in various other ways, but we want to identify those two because they are solely responsible, in my view, for killing Katie.' Inspector Murray described the horror Ms Tangey faced in her final agonising moments alive. '(Ms Tangey) was a completely innocent individual who had nothing to do with this illegal tobacco trade at all,' he said. '(She) was asleep in bed, in the early hours. One can only imagine how scared she must have been.' In a fresh twist, it was revealed an anonymous phone call was made to Crime Stoppers in which police were given a pseudonym or nickname linked to the attack. Police are now asking that person to contact them again in the hope they may be able to provide more information. Detectives earlier released an image of a man, described as slim, Middle Eastern, and aged between 25 and 30, whom they wish to speak to about the tragedy. 'Detectives are particularly keen to hear from anyone who recognises the man in the image or has any further information on the nickname provided in the call to Crime Stoppers,' a police statement added. In June, police raided a home in Dandenong in relation to the crime and seized a phone. Ms Tangey had been house sitting with her brother's golden retriever, Sunny, who also died inside the three-storey townhouse. Her brother Ethan Tangey and his wife Brooke were just days into their honeymoon when the fire took place. CCTV captured the vehicle in which the killers fled the scene, travelling north on Forsyth Road in Truganina at approximately 2.12am.
News.com.au
4 days ago
- News.com.au
Investigation launched after man dies while in police custody at Traralgon home
A man has died after being arrested at his home in Victoria's south-east, with police now probing the incident. Police were called to Moore St in Traralgon shortly before 1am on Sunday, following reports of a man acting erratically. The 41-year-old man was arrested out the front of his home and put into police custody. He became unresponsive a short time later. Attempts to revive the man were unsuccessful and he died at the scene. Neighbour Gino Tripodi told the ABC he was trying to get home when the incident unfolded. 'Not knowing what exactly happened in the street, it just unfolded as I was talking to police at the end of the street,' he said. 'I feel for the guy and his family, condolences to them.' He claimed the man was known for his erratic behaviour, and praised emergency crews for their efforts to help him. An investigation has been launched into the man's death, with the exact circumstances yet to be determined. 'Detectives from the Homicide Squad will investigate the incident with oversight from Professional Standards Command, as per standard practice where someone dies after being taken into police custody,' police said.
ABC News
5 days ago
- ABC News
Investigation launched into man's death after Traralgon arrest
A man has died after being arrested by police in Traralgon, south-east of Melbourne overnight. Police were called to an address in Moore Street just before 1am, where a 41-year-old man was reported to be behaving erratically outside his home. But when they arrested the man, he became unresponsive. Emergency services attempted to revive him, but he died at the scene. The ABC spoke to neighbours of the man who said he was known for his erratic behaviour. Local man Gino Tripodi told the ABC his heart was racing when he got home in the early hours of Sunday morning and saw the incident unfolding. "The old challenge of trying to get into your street to go home was a bit daunting," Mr Tripodi said. "I had to be okayed to walk home, so I didn't know where I was going to sleep if I couldn't walk through." Mr Tripodi said he had been on the road all day for work and most people were out partying when the incident took place. "Not knowing what exactly happened in the street, it just unfolded as I was talking to police at the end of the street," he said. "I feel for the guy and his family, condolences to them." Detectives from the Homicide Squad were investigating but the exact circumstances surrounding the death remained unclear. As with any death in police custody, the investigation will be overseen by the Victoria Police Professional Standards Command. Mr Tripodi said he couldn't praise the emergency services enough for what they did. "Considering you had police, the fire brigade and ambulance and all the teamwork together.. it was amazing how they combined together, they did everything they could," he said.
