Mistaken identity? CCTV reveals faces of men accused of executing Sydney tradie
The killing of 23 year old plumber John Versace shocked Australia when the young tradie was gunned down outside his home in Sydney last year. Now fresh court hearings are spilling new details about the case, including CCTV footage that may have captured the faces of the suspects.
The moment CCTV may have exposed the killers.
The execution style murder of John Versace rocked Sydney when it happened in May last year. The young tradie had just pulled up at his family home in Condell Park when a gunman walked up and opened fire several times in the driveway. Brutal, sudden and the last thing anyone expects when they’re just getting home.
The whole thing left people stunned. Versace had no known criminal history and no ties to organised crime, which pushed detectives from the start to consider a disturbing possibility. The real target might have been someone else entirely.
Months after the killing, the case is back in the headlines as new details start coming out in court.
Police footage from November shows the arrest of men accused in the killing of tradie John Versace. Credit: NSW Police
The attack that terrified a Sydney suburb
According to investigators, the alleged shooter Blaze Collings arrived at the scene in a car driven by a 43 year old man whose name hasn’t been revealed because of the trial. He jumped out of the car and started firing repeatedly at Versace just as the young plumber had parked in the driveway of his house.
The shooting happened late at night on what is normally a quiet suburban street. Emergency crews rushed in but the young tradie died shortly after from his injuries.
The crime was quickly compared to gangland style executions usually linked to organised crime. But here it was a young plumber who ended up dead, apparently because the killers got the wrong bloke.
The key moment caught on CCTV
During recent court hearings prosecutors revealed new evidence that now sits right at the centre of the case.
According to what was shown in court, security cameras captured the faces of the attackers after they ditched the car that was allegedly used in the shooting. The men were seen pulling off clothing while trying to hide their identity during the attack. Prosecutors say that brief moment may have exposed their faces on CCTV.
New bail attempt rejected
The hearing also included another attempt by one of the blokes charged in the case to get bail while everything keeps playing out in court.
The defence offered strict conditions including home detention and a large financial guarantee. The judge shut it down, pointing to the seriousness of the charges and the risk that letting this man walk before trial would bring.
What started as just another night in a quiet Sydney suburb turned into one of the most disturbing murder cases the city has seen in months. And while the case keeps moving through court, plenty of questions are still hanging in the air while these blokes sit inside waiting to face what’s coming.
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The killing of 23 year old plumber John Versace shocked Australia when the young tradie was gunned down outside his home in Sydney last year. Now fresh court hearings are spilling new details about the case, including CCTV footage that may have captured the faces of the suspects.