E VOIC YOUR
0Y FOR 15 EARS
31 August 2015
A Star News Group Publication
Stamp of approval for pig
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Monday, 31 August 2015
Drugs murder link By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
1170560-ACM06-15
POLICE believe a drug-cultivation ring could be linked to the murder of a 25-year-old father and taxi driver in Police Paddocks Reserve 22 years ago. Cold Case Homicide Squad detectives believe they’re close to solving who and why Emanuel Sapountzakis, 25, of Clayton, was killed soon after collecting a passenger in Boronia about 2am on 2 March, 1993. Mr Sapountzakis was seen driving his Ford Falcon taxi with a male front seat passenger south on Stud Road in Dandenong. The cab then pulled into Police Paddocks Reserve, where he was shot several times. About 8am that morning, Mr Sapountzakis’s body was found by a woman walking her dog. His taxi was found shortly after abandoned on Mountain Highway, Boronia. A post-mortem coronial investigation found Mr Sapountzakis’s killing was most likely a random robbery “turned violent”. However cold case detectives, after recent “credible” information and the retrieval of a DNA sample, now believe several people were involved in a targeted killing of Mr Sapountzakis, most likely for “financial retribution”. Detective Senior Sergeant Boris Buick said further new information had been called into Crime Stoppers since a public appeal for information on 26 August. Some new details included a witness sighting of a maroon Nissan Skyline with partial registration DSD. Det Sen Sgt Buick said investigators had learnt Mr Sapountzakis was mixing with a criminal group trafficking and cultivating amphetamines and cannabis. “We believe there was a dispute among a group of hardened criminals, and that he was killed by or under-the-
order of people in this group. “There’s no doubt there were people on the periphery of that circle who would know about this - we’d ask them to come forward.” He said that with further information, police hoped to find an exact match for the DNA sample. The Journal stated at the time that police found two 12-gauge cartridges near Mr Sapountzakis’s body, found in bush at the end of Greenbank Avenue. “Police believe Mr Sapountzakis
was made to stand with his hands behind his head before being shot twice at close range with a shotgun, once in the head and in the lower back,” the Journal reported. Police at the time said about $800 in American currency was stolen from the victim - who had been saving for a trip to Brazil with his wife to see his parents. His daughter was 21 months old at the time. Investigators had kept in close contact with Mr Sapountzakis’s family, including his 24-year-old
daughter and his overseas brother and sister. “They have been encouraging us to resolve what happened to their brother, husband and father,” Det Sen Sgt Buick said. A $50,000 reward for information issued in the 1990s is still in place. Police were making an application for a renewed reward, Det Sen Sgt Buick said. Call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit crimestoppersvic.com.au.
A police image of Sapountzakis’s abandoned taxi in 1993.
Chickens come home to roost THIS subdued smile from Mohammad is miles from his forlorn appearance when he last featured on the Journal front page on 23 March. Thieves left the Noble Park Primary student and his classmates reeling after poaching the school’s chooks – not once, but twice. See page 48 for the full story. 143373 Picture: ROB CAREW
VALLEY Phone: 9793 3354 VILLAGE Fax: 9793 7154 MEWS villagemews@iinet.net.au RETIREMENT www.valleyvillagemews.com.au VILLAGE 112 STUD ROAD DANDENONG Call in to meet our friendly staff to show you why you should make Valley Village Mews your home.