Latest news with #JohnVersace
Sydney Morning Herald
2 days ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Hard working, affectionate, cheeky': Execution victim John Versace laid to rest
Sydney tradie John Versace has been remembered as affectionate, hard-working and loving by his devastated family, who farewelled the 23-year-old in a moving service at a Maronite church almost a fortnight after he was gunned down on the driveway of his Condell Park home. Versace, 23, had just pulled into the driveway of the home he shared with his parents when a stolen Toyota Corolla sped up to the home about 10.30pm on May 19. A gunman ran along the length of the fence, before levelling a semi-automatic pistol at Versace and firing up to 10 shots, confronting CCTV footage shows. A short time later, a car thought to be the same Corolla was found alight in nearby Fairfield. His murder has troubled investigators, who say it has all the hallmarks of a gangland execution. Given Versace's lack of criminal history or known ties to organised crime, police are investigating whether he was killed in a case of mistaken identity. On Friday, hundreds of mourners packed into St Charbel's in Punchbowl for Versace's funeral as the sun beamed down. Versace, who was baptised at the Maronite church in Sydney's west, was remembered in a touching eulogy as family orientated, cheeky and loving. He and his father, with whom he worked, were best friends. He never passed his mother without kissing her, hugging her or spinning her around, mourners were told.
The Age
2 days ago
- The Age
‘Hard working, affectionate, cheeky': Execution victim John Versace laid to rest
Sydney tradie John Versace has been remembered as affectionate, hard-working and loving by his devastated family, who farewelled the 23-year-old in a moving service at a Maronite church almost a fortnight after he was gunned down on the driveway of his Condell Park home. Versace, 23, had just pulled into the driveway of the home he shared with his parents when a stolen Toyota Corolla sped up to the home about 10.30pm on May 19. A gunman ran along the length of the fence, before levelling a semi-automatic pistol at Versace and firing up to 10 shots, confronting CCTV footage shows. A short time later, a car thought to be the same Corolla was found alight in nearby Fairfield. His murder has troubled investigators, who say it has all the hallmarks of a gangland execution. Given Versace's lack of criminal history or known ties to organised crime, police are investigating whether he was killed in a case of mistaken identity. On Friday, hundreds of mourners packed into St Charbel's in Punchbowl for Versace's funeral as the sun beamed down. Versace, who was baptised at the Maronite church in Sydney's west, was remembered in a touching eulogy as family orientated, cheeky and loving. He and his father, with whom he worked, were best friends. He never passed his mother without kissing her, hugging her or spinning her around, mourners were told.
Perth Now
2 days ago
- Perth Now
Mourners farewell plumber killed in mistaken identity attack
Hundreds have gathered at a church in Punchbowl in Sydney's South West to pay their respects to John Versace, a young plumber shot dead on the doorstep of his parents' home in Sydney. The 23-year-old was killed at his family's Condell Park home on May 20, and many questions about his death remain unanswered. As reported by The Daily Telegraph, mourners filled the church on Friday, with many forced to stand in the courtyard while prayer hymns in English and Arabic played over loudspeakers before Mr Versace's hearse arrived. A procession of motorbikes, most riders dressed in white, could be heard from several streets away as they stopped outside the church entrance. In a eulogy, a man remembered Mr Versace as 'affectionate, protective and full of love,' saying he was 'raised with love' and good values. The man described him as 'cheeky,' but deeply devoted to his family. '(He) never walked past his mum without kissing and hugging her,' he said over the loudspeaker. Police say Mr Versace, who worked for his father's plumbing business, had no criminal links and only a minor traffic offence on his record. Moments after the shooting, his parents and older sisters rushed to his side, screaming for help. Mr Versace had just reversed his ute into the driveway of his Dalton Ave home shortly before 10.30pm when a masked gunman approached, carrying a small handgun. Superintendent Rodney Hart described the ambush as a 'brutal and violent execution style murder'. 'At very close proximity to the victim, he (the gunman) opened fire, we believe fired up to 10 bullets at the victim,' he said. 'We believe that the victim suffered at least four gunshot wounds. He slumped to the ground out the front of his home.' Mr Versace died at the scene despite efforts by paramedics to save him.
West Australian
2 days ago
- West Australian
Hundreds gather to mourn John Versace, plumber killed in suspected mistaken identity shooting in Sydney
Hundreds have gathered at a church in Punchbowl in Sydney's South West to pay their respects to John Versace, a young plumber shot dead on the doorstep of his parents' home in Sydney. The 23-year-old was killed at his family's Condell Park home on May 20, and many questions about his death remain unanswered. As reported by The Daily Telegraph , mourners filled the church on Friday, with many forced to stand in the courtyard while prayer hymns in English and Arabic played over loudspeakers before Mr Versace's hearse arrived. A procession of motorbikes, most riders dressed in white, could be heard from several streets away as they stopped outside the church entrance. In a eulogy, a man remembered Mr Versace as 'affectionate, protective and full of love,' saying he was 'raised with love' and good values. The man described him as 'cheeky,' but deeply devoted to his family. '(He) never walked past his mum without kissing and hugging her,' he said over the loudspeaker. Police say Mr Versace, who worked for his father's plumbing business, had no criminal links and only a minor traffic offence on his record. Moments after the shooting, his parents and older sisters rushed to his side, screaming for help. Mr Versace had just reversed his ute into the driveway of his Dalton Ave home shortly before 10.30pm when a masked gunman approached, carrying a small handgun. Superintendent Rodney Hart described the ambush as a 'brutal and violent execution style murder'. 'At very close proximity to the victim, he (the gunman) opened fire, we believe fired up to 10 bullets at the victim,' he said. 'We believe that the victim suffered at least four gunshot wounds. He slumped to the ground out the front of his home.' Mr Versace died at the scene despite efforts by paramedics to save him.
News.com.au
2 days ago
- General
- News.com.au
Family's heartache at funeral for tradie executed in Condell Park in suspected case of mistaken identity
A young innocent tradie who was gunned down in the driveway of his family home as he got out of his ute has been remembered as a 'cheeky' man who was 'fierce and full of heart'. John Versace, 23, was shot at 10 times outside his parent's Condell Park home in Sydney's south-west on Monday night, in what police believe was a case of mistaken identity. The young plumber, who worked for his dad's business, was farewelled in a traditional Maronite ceremony at St Charbel's Parish in Punchbowl on Friday morning. The funeral heard about Mr Versace's close relationship with both his father and his mother, as a eulogy was read out. 'More than father and son they were best friends,' a speaker said. Mr Versace also 'never walked past his mum without kissing her, hugging her or spinning her around and telling her that he loved her.' 'She didn't just raise a boy but raised a man…a real one. A cheeky one. 'Fierce…and full of heart.' The funeral also heard how Mr Versace was 'raised in love and strength with good value'. He also 'loved football' and 'shared that passion with his family and friends'. 'He was affective, protective and full of love.' Mr Versace's mother is from Lebanon and his father is Italian, with the family deciding to farewell the young plumber at the Lebanese Maronite Church next to his former school. His coffin was taken to the church in escort of about a dozen motorcycles. Police are still trying to determine how Mr Versace was so brutally caught in the crossfires of Sydney's gang wars. The 23-year-old had no major criminal past and no known links to gangs. 'What I can say in this very early stage is that the victim and the holdings that we have on the victim and his family is that he is not known to police,' Superintendent Rodney Hart said. 'He does not have a criminal record. His family members do not have criminal records. And he, at this stage, I believe, has one traffic offence.' Police said they possess 'good quality' CCTV footage that shows the 23-year-old victim - arriving at his home where he lived with his parents and two sisters. Moments later, a silver hatchback parks across the driveway and a hooded male dressed in all black exits the rear driver's side door armed with a small Glock-style hand gun. Superintendent Hart said a taskforce had been established to further investigate the incident. 'We believe that this has the hallmarks of a targeted execution – very brutal, very distressing,' Hart said. 'So, I want to reassure the community that we are treating this not as a random attack, but what I will ask from our community here is – please, anybody that has any information to assist the investigators to please call Bankstown Police Station or Crime Stoppers.'
