a_unique_person
10th September 2003, 08:16 PM
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/09/11/1063191484997.html
Murder linked to gangland killings
The latest murder victim in Melbourne's gangland war was an enforcer and possibly an underworld hitman, a news report said.
Housam Zayat, 32, who became the 20th victim of Melbourne's bloody gangland wars on Tuesday night, had more than 100 criminal convictions including attempted murder.
Zayat, of suburban Fawkner, was shot several times in the back in a field near his car parked on a dirt road at Tarneit in Melbourne's southwest around 10.30pm (AEST) on Tuesday.
An associate of Nikolai "Nik the Russian" Radev, he once shared a house with the notorious criminal, who was himself shot dead earlier this year.
Police suspect Zayat may have been an underworld killer, a Herald Sun report said.
Police were reported to have a strong suspect for the latest murder, newspaper reports said.
According to The Age, Zayat's driver escaped from the car and ran about 12km to the Sunshine police station, where he identified the gunman.
Meanwhile, a charred corpse found in a western suburbs drain was identified as another associate of Radev and another possible victim of the deadly underworld vendetta.
He was Mark Mallia, 30, of Reservoir.
When found dead on August 18, Mallia was being investigated by the taskforce set up earlier this year to look at least 18 unsolved underworld murders since 1998.
Murder linked to gangland killings
The latest murder victim in Melbourne's gangland war was an enforcer and possibly an underworld hitman, a news report said.
Housam Zayat, 32, who became the 20th victim of Melbourne's bloody gangland wars on Tuesday night, had more than 100 criminal convictions including attempted murder.
Zayat, of suburban Fawkner, was shot several times in the back in a field near his car parked on a dirt road at Tarneit in Melbourne's southwest around 10.30pm (AEST) on Tuesday.
An associate of Nikolai "Nik the Russian" Radev, he once shared a house with the notorious criminal, who was himself shot dead earlier this year.
Police suspect Zayat may have been an underworld killer, a Herald Sun report said.
Police were reported to have a strong suspect for the latest murder, newspaper reports said.
According to The Age, Zayat's driver escaped from the car and ran about 12km to the Sunshine police station, where he identified the gunman.
Meanwhile, a charred corpse found in a western suburbs drain was identified as another associate of Radev and another possible victim of the deadly underworld vendetta.
He was Mark Mallia, 30, of Reservoir.
When found dead on August 18, Mallia was being investigated by the taskforce set up earlier this year to look at least 18 unsolved underworld murders since 1998.