Det-Insp Allen of the Homicide Squad later said that Dibra was shot several times after visiting friends and associates.

More than one weapon was believed to have been used.

On the night of his murder, neighbours of Dibra told the Herald Sun they saw several men running around and yelling as shots were fired about 9.15pm.

One local resident, who did not want to be named, said he heard two distinct types of gunshots and believed the death took place in an exchange of bullets.

"There were about six shots, then a car load of men drove off. It sounded like two different guns going off. The last three shots were louder than the first three.''

Another neighbour said: "It sounded like fire crackers at one stage then a car took off and that was it.''

Det-Insp. Andrew Allen, of the homicide squad, said it was unclear whether more than one weapon was used.

He said a number of people at the house during the shooting were helping police with their inquiries.

Dibra was known to have made many enemies in his brief and wild life, police sources said, "there would be plenty of suspects. He has been so violent to so many people in the past."

Police believe Andrew Veniamin was the person who betrayed Dibra.

Purana Taskforce detectives say Veniamin was there as an enemy when Dibra was gunned down by an interstate hitman.

Detective Inspector Andrew Allen later said "We believe there's up to three people involved, but we believe we know the identity of one of those gunmen now. We are quite confident in saying this is not the only murder he has committed."

In November 2002, fugitive drug dealer and millionaire businessman, Tony Mokbel was invited by Mario Condello, an elder of a crime faction known as the "Carlton Crew", to a "business meeting".

Kaya said that Veniamin was prepared to shoot Zefina's sister to "draw him out" and said it was common knowledge that when Veniamin ultimately found Zefina, he shot him five times.

On December 20, 2004, Zefina, the accused cook for a million dollar amphetamines operation, was granted bail after spending the weekend in jail.

He appeared relieved as magistrate Jelena Popovic released him on conditional bail with a $10,000 surety.

Mr Zaffina, then 34, of Cooper St in Hoppers Crossing, was one of three men remanded in custody on the night of December 17, 2004, after several raids by the Victoria Police major drug investigation division.

Separate out-of-sessions court hearings were told the arrested men included an amphetamines manufacturer, a middle-level trafficker and a violent drug-addicted debt collector.

The first man to appear was Con Koumis, 26, of Tarella Drive in Keilor Downs.

He was charged with five counts including trafficking commercial quantities of amphetamines, ecstasy and cannabis.

Acting Det-Sgt David Schaefer, of the MDID, told the out-of-sessions hearing Mr Koumis was arrested after an electronic surveillance operation began on the alleged drug syndicate in August 2004.

Acting Det-Sgt Schaefer alleged Mr Koumis was a trafficker of drugs made by Mr Zaffina, who was charged with five offences including trafficking amphetamines and possessing heroin.

"Mr Zaffina is alleged to have manufactured four ounces of amphetamines once a week," Acting Det-Sgt Schaefer told an out-of-sessions hearing.

"He was also involved in the extraction of pseudoephedrine for the process of the manufacture of amphetamines."

Another out-of-sessions hearing heard the third man, Michael Walter Marie, acted as a debt collector for the alleged syndicate.

Veniamin had also threatened to shoot police at the St Kilda Road complex after a search of his mother's home uncovered a .38 revolver.

He told Kaya that police had stolen some of his mother's jewellery.

"He said he was just going to run into the police complex and do his best . .. . kill whoever he can kill," Kaya said.

"I just talked him out of it. I calmed him down."

Williams eased Veniamin out of the team that was planning to shoot Moran and replaced him with the driver from the Mark Moran murder.

Veniamin met Nik Radev on April 15, 2003, the day he was murdered in Coburg.

Adam Shand later wrote that on that day, Radev and his bodyguard were sitting chatting with Tony Mokbel and other associates at the Brighton Baths Café.

Radev had allegedly been a partner in an amphetamine business with some of the men present that day.

He had been complaining that the quality of the speed had been no good and he wanted to meet the cook to sort the problem.

A meeting was being organised between Radev and the cook, a well-known criminal named George Peters.

As the group was sitting at the Brighton Baths Café, someone had allegedly made a call to another speed manufacturer, the late Willie Thompson, informing him of Radev's meeting with Peters, the cook.

Thompson was in dispute with Radev over $400,000.

The witness said Thompson seemed to know that Radev was in mortal danger.

Radev had told people that Thompson had earlier gone to Perth to hire someone to kill him.

Witnesses also suggested that the meeting was just a ruse; Radev would never meet Peters.

Radev had told associates he planned to kidnap the cook, hide him on a farm and make him cook up speed 24 hours a day.

Radev and a companion were travelling in his black late-model Mercedes coupe in company with a third man, who was driving behind them in a silver Toyota.

At about 4.35pm the Mercedes parked near neighbourhood shops at the side of Queen St and about 25m from the intersection of Reynard St.

The Toyota pulled up next to it.

The three men then got out and began talking by the roadside.

A shooter and a getaway driver had been sitting in a car in Queen Street, waiting to intercept Radev and shoot him as he got out of his car.

As it was, they nearly missed him.

Radev was already out of his Mercedes when the hit squad sighted him, but he had doubled back to his car to get a cigar.

The shooter's car drew up alongside Radev, and a man allegedly jumped out and poured rounds from a revolver and a pistol into Radev's back and head.

Radev's body was found in the street beside his car.

Police said they had two witnesses who were on the scene and that they had confessed to having a hand in the conspiracy to kill Radev.

One helped lure the gangster to the killing ground, the other even drove the getaway car.

Both nominated the late Veniamin as the shooter, but who ordered the killings is a matter of great dispute.

Veniamin had been in dispute with Radev after the Bulgarian career criminal and two others had pursued a young man into Veniamin's house in Sunshine.

Radev had let his big dog loose to savage the kid, who had done nothing more than offend Radev by doing burnouts in the street.

Veniamin's dignity had been offended.

For several months in mid to late 2003, Mick Gatto (left), a well known and respected figure in the crime world, and Veniamin were "buddy" and "mate" and "champ" to each other, speaking on average every four or five days.

DECEMBER 12, 2003:
Gatto How are you, mate? . . . What’s going on, mate?
Veniamin. . . Just ringing in to say hello, see how you’re doing . .

But the late-night shooting of Gatto's close friend, Graham Kinniburgh outside his Kew home on December 13, 2003, drove the wedge of suspicion between them.

Police said that a tracking device showed that Veniamin was not responsible for Kinniburgh's murder but Gatto had come to blame Veniamin.

Gatto was also warned by police that his own life was in danger.

Veniamin knew he was under police surveillance and referred to it many times in his telephone calls.

At one point he had said he might as well give the police a CD of his conversations. He had been searched a number of times by police.

The talk between the two was overheard through police listening devices, which detected Veniamin's mobile phone conversations.

The conversations showed the change in their relationship, from one of friendship to one where Gatto was wary of Veniamin.

Several days after Kinniburgh's murder, Gatto spoke to Veniamin about arranging a meeting "to clear the air a bit". "Bring that mate with you," he said.

Veniamin was the right-hand man - and some say trigger-man - for Carl Williams.

Williams is alleged to have organised several underworld killings.

The most popular theory is that Williams ordered the murders of Mark Moran on June 15, 2000, and his half-brother Jason Moran and Pasquale Barbaro three years later.

Veniamin took exception to a report in The Age on December 14, 2003, which identified him as a suspect in some of the underworld murders.

"I am offended by your article... The suggestion that I have been involved in... murder is slanders (sic) and wrongly could endanger my life," he said.

On December 22, 2003, nine days after Kinniburgh was killed, Gatto, accompanied by five others including Faruk "Frank" Orman (an associate of Gatto and long-time friend of Veniamin), met Veniamin and underworld companion Carl Williams at Crown Casino.

Gatto's lawyer Robert Richter, QC would later say that in the Crown Casino meeting, the message to Veniamin and Carl Williams was that the underworld shootings were not Gatto's war.

The meeting lasted more than two hours. and was video-taped by the Casino's security.

A court was later told that a lip-reader was able to discern some of Gatto's statements, which included him telling Veniamin and Williams that they were "giving me shit".

Detective Senior Constable Nigel L'Estrange, of the Purana Taskforce, agreed that Gatto was observed to tell Williams: "Anything with you, that's your problem. But if anything comes my way then I'll send somebody to you... I'll be careful with you, be careful with me. I believe you, you believe me, now we're even. That's a warning."

Another one of Gatto's associates who appeared at various times on the videotape was Steve Kaya.

Orman and Kaya both gave evidence at Gatto's murder trial.

For perhaps the first time Williams wavered. He went to see the Lieutenant for a second opinion. Should he trust Mick and declare a truce?

The Lieutenant said: "Ask Benji. He knows him (Gatto) better than me." Williams already had and Veniamin had no doubts. "Kill him," was his answer.

Veniamin effectively passed his own death sentence.

Although Carl Williams was on bail he was allowed to travel to a five-star Gold Coast resort with his wife Roberta in early January 2004.

Their constant companion was Veniamin.

Several photographs of the trio, who appeared swimming at Surfer's Paradise and feasting on fish and chips next to their hotel's pool, were published in the Herald Sun.

Williams ample girth was on display as he splashed around and after it was referred to in an accompanying story, he was said to have been deeply offended.

FEBRUARY 1, 2004: Mick Gatto What’s going on, stranger? . . . have not heard of you. Veniamin Been going out with my mate . . .
Gatto. . . Everything going all right?

MARCH 19, 2004: Gatto You givin’ me the arse? I have not heard from you for a month. Veniamin I swear to you, mate, everybody I have rung on this phone has been raided.
Gatto I am not worried about being raided. I have got nothing to hide.

During the morning of March 23, 2004 Veniamin and Carl Williams were sitting in the public gallery of the Melbourne Magistrates Court.

They watched as a magistrate refused a police request for a DNA sample from friend, Victor Brincat over the murders of Jason Moran and Pasquale Barbaro, shot dead outside a junior football clinic in Essendon North on June 21, 2003.

When Williams left court, Veniamin was by his side.

Dressed casually in black track pants, thongs and a baseball cap, he followed Williams across Lonsdale Street before the men drove off, just after 12.30pm.

On April 7, 2004, Greg Domaszewicz, the babysitter believed to have been responsible for the 1997 death of Jaidyn Leskie, spoke to Veniamin's brother, Steven.

Gangland killing taskforce detectives secretly taped Domaszewicz laugh while talking about the Moe toddler's death.

"I don't like people tormenting things,'' Mr Domaszewicz said to Steven Veniamin.

Mr Veniamin said: "What about when you tormented that kid?"

Mr Domaszewicz laughed and replied: "Yeah, that was different, it was a long time ago."

The police tape has Steven Veniamin accusing Mr Domaszewicz of dropping his car "on it" -- a reference to the theory put forward during the trial that Jaidyn's arm was broken when Mr Domaszewicz's car fell off its jack.

Mr Domaszewicz replied: "I'm telling you now there's a big difference from that and fuckin' murder, that, that, for a start that's accidental death."

It was an accusation by a female underworld figure that Mr Domaszewicz "did it" that prompted him to ring Steven Veniamin.

Mr Veniamin said: "But when you see (name deleted for legal reasons) apparently that's what she said, she reckons you did it."

Mr Domaszewicz is recorded saying he intended speaking to the woman about her accusation. "But she did say it though, yeah," Mr Domaszewicz said.
Mr Veniamin replied: "Yeah."

An exerpt of the police recording of a conversation between Greg Domaszewicz and Steve Veniamin:
Greg Domaszewicz: ... Cos, it's - like you understand, they're my friends and I don't like people tormentin' things, you know.

Steve Veniamin: I wanna torment that. What about when you tormented that kid?

Domaszewicz: (Laughs) Yeah, that was different, it was a long time ago.

Veniamin: Well, why was that different?

Domaszewicz: No, that's just a fuckin' stupid thing to even say. I never done nothin', it's like everything's so -

Veniamin: (Inaudible) That car (inaudible) reckon.

Domaszewicz: Hey?

Veniamin: You dropped that car on it, mate.

Domaszewicz: No. If - mate, I'm telling you now there's a big difference from that and fuckin' murder, that - that - for a start, that's accidental death.

Veniamin: Yeah.

Domaszewicz: You know what I mean?

Veniamin: Yeah.

Domaszewicz: And I'm not stupid, Steve. You know I'm not stupid.

With one exception the same group of men who had accompanied him to his Crown Casino meeting with Andrew Veniamin the previous December was sitting with Gatto in Carlton restaurant, La Porcella later that afternoon.

Gatto had rung Veniamin, asking him to the restaurant.

Veniamin left for the meeting, telling a friend he was off to see "the big bloke".

Veniamin appeared at La Porcella wearing white thongs, elastic-waisted three-quarter pants, a light T-shirt and boxer shorts.

The restaurant was almost deserted, apart from Gatto and his friends.

There was one customer drinking coffee at an outdoor table.

After half an hour, Gatto led Veniamin to a narrow passageway that ran off a storeroom from the restaurant's kitchen.

About a metre wide, the passage's effective width was only 66 centimetres since it was packed to head height on one side with boxes.

Gatto shot Veniamin twice to the neck and once to the head.

He shot at him a fourth time as the deceased lay dying on the floor of the passageway . . . but he missed.

In all, five shots were fired.

It was not clear in what order the shots were fired, but two were necessarily fatal.

One passed through Veniamin's spinal column and another went through his neck's carotid artery.

A third bullet entered his head and would have rendered the deceased man incapable of purposeful action almost immediately.

The shots, from a .38 calibre revolver, were fired from close range and left powder burns on Veniamin's neck.

Despite the gunfire, no one went to see how Veniamin was.

Gatto remained remarkably calm after killing Veniamin.

Emerging from the rear of the restaurant after the shooting, Gatto told proprietor Michael Choucair: "He tried to kill me. He said he wants to kill me like he did to Graham."

Police were notified about 3.10pm that a man had been shot in Carlton.

As soon as detectives knew the identity of the victim and the alleged gunman, the case was handed to the Purana taskforce.

Gatto waited at the scene for police to arrive and told them it was a clear case of self-defence after Veniamin pulled out a .38 and threatened to kill him.

Carl Williams appeared at the scene some time after the shooting.

Reporters attempted to question Williams who ran off and locked himself in a toilet at a nearby service station before being whisked away by a friend who arrived in a car.

Orman, who also attended Veniamin's funeral, later said he had retreated from his friendship in the last 18 months of Veniamin's life: "Like, he was always unpredictable, you know, but he just got a lot worse".

When Carl Williams' wife, Roberta, was contacted by The Age, she asked: "Is it Andrew? Is he dead? We've just heard."

Williams said he believed Veniamin had been set up.

"Andrew wasn't frightened, he wasn't expecting this. But that's life, I suppose."

Mick Gatto, appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates Court the following morning after being charged with murder.

At the filing hearing, prosecutor Raeleene Maxwell asked for Mr Gatto's committal mention hearing to be heard on July 14.

Mr Gatto was not required to enter a plea.

During the hearing, defence lawyer George Defteros asked Chief Magistrate Ian Gray if Mr Gatto could be moved to the Melbourne Assessment Prison (MAP).

Mr Gatto wore runners with no shoelaces, a black Fila tracksuit bottom with a white stripe on the side, and a cream and blue ribbed tight long sleeved Billabong jumper.

At the hearing, Carl Williams' wife, Roberta Williams, waited outside the courtroom.

Accompanied by police, Ms Williams made an emotional outburst toward the courtroom before leaving, leaning on her sister.

After the hearing, George Defteros was asked if Mr Gatto would plead self-defence. Mr Defteros said he had "no further comment at this stage," but added that he anticipated Mr Gatto would make an application for bail at the Supreme Court "in due course".

Police said Gatto lured Veniamin to the restaurant, which he regularly used as his own private office, and shot him in cold blood.

Mick Gatto, appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates Court the following morning after being charged with murder.

At the filing hearing, prosecutor Raeleene Maxwell asked for Mr Gatto's committal mention hearing to be heard on July 14.

Mr Gatto was not required to enter a plea.

During the hearing, defence lawyer George Defteros asked Chief Magistrate Ian Gray if Mr Gatto could be moved to the Melbourne Assessment Prison (MAP).

Mr Gatto wore runners with no shoelaces, a black Fila tracksuit bottom with a white stripe on the side, and a cream and blue ribbed tight long sleeved Billabong jumper.

Gatto, later claimed he did not have time to reach into his trouser pocket for his .25 calibre pistol during the struggle and said Veniamin had complained of hearing persistent rumours that Gatto blamed him for the murder of Gatto's friend Graham "The Munster" Kinniburgh.

Veniamin claimed he would not interfere with him because Gatto was a mate.

Gatto said he told Veniamin: "Dino Dibra and Kallipolitis were your mates. You f---ing killed them."

Gatto said that Veniamin responded that Dibra and Kallipolitis were "dogs" and deserved to die. He said he then told Veniamin he could not be trusted and that it was better if Veniamin kept away from him and his friends.

Veniamin then said: "We had to kill Graham . . . fuck him and fuck you" before producing the gun.

Reporters covering Veniamin's funeral were attacked by a group of youths who pelted them with eggs and other objects.

One cameraman was also hit by a golf ball. He was not seriously injured.

The media was ushered to the end of the street by friends of Veniamin.

Those who strayed were told in no uncertain terms to get back with the rest of the pack.

The man pictured left took centre stage and glared at on-lookers, particularly members of the press.

Veniamin's death was followed eight days later by that of Moran crime family patriarch, Lewis Moran.

It was speculated that plans to kill Moran, a close friend of Mick Gatto's, were hatched at Veniamin's wake.

Moran's murder came the day after Veniamin's funeral.

On May 10, 2004, the Herald Sun reported that Purana Taskforce detectives had tried to question Greg Domaszewicz - the babysitter who was acquitted over the 1997 murder of Moe toddler Jaidyn Leskie -  about Melbourne's underworld murders.

The Herald Sun had learned Mr Domaszewicz spoke to Andrew Veniamin just two hours before he was shot dead.

Early in 2006, Carl Williams' associate known as the 'Runner' wrote to the Office of Public Prosecutions.

The note was non-committal but the message was clear. The soldier was ready to mutiny.

Detective Inspector Gavan Ryan, who was by then the head of Purana, went to see the Runner. "He didn't need persuading, he was ready to talk. None of us imagined he would roll over."

The Runner was removed from prison and for nearly 30 days exposed the secrets of Melbourne's gangland murders, sinking any hopes for Williams in the process.

Inspector Ryan, Detective Sergeant Stuart Bateson, and senior detectives Nigel L'estrange, Mark Hatt and Michelle Kelly questioned him for 30 days.

A stream of Purana detectives questioned him on individual murders.

He told them about the crimes they knew he had committed but implicated himself in ones they didn't.

He told them he was the driver in the two-man hit team assigned to kill Nik "The Bulgarian" Radev in 2003.

Radev desperately wanted to meet George Peters, the amphetamine expert who produced drugs for Tony Mokbel and Williams. But Williams knew that if Radev discovered the identity of their production expert he would abduct and possibly torture him. Then he would force Peters to be an exclusive Radev employee.

That morning Radev was told at a meeting in Brighton that he would finally meet Peters across town in Queen Street, Coburg. According to the Runner, "I drove Andrew Veniamin to murder Nik Radev".

As five of Williams' closest allies turned on him and became police witnesses Purana discovered more about his crimes.

Williams was not only prepared to kill Jason Moran, he would kill those that wouldn't.

According to police, notorious killer, drug dealer and armed robber Victor George Peirce was shot dead because he accepted and then reneged on a contract to kill Moran.

He was paid $100,000 in advance and was to pocket a further $100,000 on completion of the job.

But he changed sides and warned Moran.

So, on May 1, 2002, Veniamin killed Peirce in Bay Street, Port Melbourne.

Michael "Eyes" Pastras, 36, was shot once in the buttocks and once in the thigh at a house in Albion St, Brunswick on October 14, 2006.

He refused to tell police who shot him.

Mr Pastras underwent surgery.

A police statement said he was in a stable condition.

The Herald Sun was told Mr Pastras wouldn't co-operate with police and refused to make a complaint about the shooting.

Detectives from the armed offenders taskforce Emerald investigated.

Police said no motive had been established.

Pastras was given the nickname Eyes after two gangland figures gave him a $25,000 pair of diamond-studded glasses.

A police source said there was no evidence to suggest the shooting was connected to Mr Pastras implicating Andrew Veniamin in wanting to kill Mick Gatto.

"But Veniamin's associates know about it and would not be happy," the source said.

"It's a line of inquiry which will have to be followed."

Pastras gave evidence at Mick Gatto's murder trial that he spoke to Veniamin on March 23, 2004, the day Veniamin was shot dead by Mr Gatto.

He said that Veniamin never mentioned anything to him about wanting to harm Mr Gatto.

But after testifying, he approached the Purana gangland killing taskforce and made a statement refuting what he said in the witness box.

Pastras told Purana detectives he saw Veniamin with a gun when he went to meet Mr Gatto in Carlton's La Porcella restaurant and that Veniamin told him he wanted Mr Gatto dead.

He claimed Veniamin told him: "I am f---ing dirty on Mick Gatto. He has got to go."

That evidence was not presented to the jury in the Gatto murder trial.

Pastras was named in the confidential Victoria Police document that was blamed for prompting the executions of Terrence Hodson and his wife, Christine.

On June 22, 2007, Purana detectives arrested one of Mick Gatto's associates, Faruk "Frank" Orman, over the murder of Victor Peirce.

Detectives swooped on an address in Sunshine at 8am and took Faruk to the Victoria Police St Kilda Rd crime complex for questioning.

Mr Orman was a childhood friend of Veniamin.

A police source told the Herald Sun that Orman did not have a long criminal history but was regarded as a "player'' in the underworld.

He later appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates' Court where he was remanded in custody on one count of murder for a committal mention in September.

The Purana taskforce allege Orman, 25, was the driver of the two-man hit team but believe the man who shot Peirce was Andrew Veniamin.

On July 9, 2007, a court heard Carl Williams paid $50,000 for drug dealer Mark Mallia to be tortured and murdered in 2003.

The preliminary hearing before magistrate Peter Couzens is set to continues.

On September 18, 2007, the Age reported that the brother of a Melbourne gangland murder victim had been questioned by the Purana taskforce as a suspect over alleged links with a separate underworld execution.

Vince Benvenuto, whose brother Frank was shot dead outside his Beaumaris house on May 8, 2000, was arrested in a Caulfield Street on September 13 by the Special Operations Group.