Two men have been charged with the murder of John Versace, a 23-year-old plumber who was shot dead outside his family home in Condell Park in May. The men, aged 19 and 43, appeared in Bankstown Local Court on Wednesday and did not apply for bail.
Police allege the men did not pull the trigger but played key roles in the killing. The 43-year-old is accused of staging vehicles and driving the shooter to and from the scene, while the 19-year-old allegedly helped plan the murder by acquiring and positioning vehicles.
Mr Versace was shot 10 times in what police described as an “extremely brutal and execution-style killing.” He had just parked his ute about 10:30pm when a gunman ran toward him and opened fire. Emergency services attempted to save his life in the driveway, but he died at the scene.
Police later found a pistol inside a burnt-out stolen Toyota Corolla in Fairfield East, believed to be the getaway car. Taskforce Falcon detectives arrested the two men after raids in Bankstown and Casula on Wednesday.
Superintendent Jason Box said there was nothing to suggest Mr Versace was involved in criminal activity, describing him as a hardworking young man living with his family. Police are investigating whether the shooting was a case of mistaken identity, as the intended target may have lived nearby.
