How Assaad clan ended up in court after ‘The Executioner’ was shot dead

An infamous Sydney underworld figure’s family have gone toe-to-toe in court over his estate and the home where he was killed.

The family of an infamous Sydney underworld figure Hamad “The Executioner” Assaad, who shot dead in 2016 by two balaclava-clad gunmen. The family members include Walid and Tarek Assaad.

The family of an infamous Sydney underworld figure shot dead in a hail of bullets has found themselves going toe-to-toe in a bitter court battle over his estate, including the house where he was killed.

Hamad “The Executioner” Assaad was gunned down in the driveway of a home on Sturt Ave at Georges Hall on October 25, 2016 – with CCTV footage capturing the brazen ambush by two balaclava-clad gunmen.

The home where Hamad was killed on Sturt Ave and another home on Koonoona Ave at Villawood were purchased by Hamad’s brother Walid “Wally” Assaad in 2019 and 2020.

Now, almost a decade on from the murder that put them in the headlines, the Assaad family is feuding – with Wally taking his mother Basmat, sister Ahlam, brother Tarek and nephew Hamad to the NSW Supreme Court, over who owns and lives in the two homes.

Hamad “The Executioner” Assaad was shot dead on Sturt Ave in Georges Hall in 2016.

Walid “Wally” Assaad has been involved in a legal battle in the NSW Supreme Court with his remaining family over properties, including the home where Hamad was gunned down.

The legal battle was launched in late 2023 after Wally – who claimed he owned the two homes – began trying to sell them.

In response, his mother and brother placed caveats on the properties and filed a cross-claim against Wally, before abruptly ceasing all involvement with the proceedings.

Before his death Hamad had been a key figure in Sydney’s gang war, carrying out at least one murder – but attempting several others and claiming to have been behind even more.

Hamad Assaad’s body lies in the driveway of the Stuart Ave home.

Seemingly realistic that his life was at some point likely to come under threat, court documents filed by Hamad’s mother earlier in the proceedings alleged that, prior to her son’s assassination, an agreement was put in place that should he die, she would receive a share of his estate and be able to live in either the Georges Hall or Villawood properties rent free.

The court documents also claimed Hamad and his other brother Tarek, had entered into an “oral agreement” with businessman Leo Lewin – who owned the Georges Hall and Villawood properties, under the name of his former company Tyres for Less Pty Ltd.

The Supreme Court battle clearly escalated tensions within the Assaad clan, resulting in a series of apprehended violence orders (AVO) being taken out by the family.

Tarek Assaad sided with the family matriarch Basmat on the opposing side to his brother Wally.

The first AVO was taken out by Ahlam against Wally shortly after she moved into the Villawood property in 2022, but the court noted the basis for the order was unknown.

In 2024, NSW Police had an interim AVO put in place to protect Wally from Ahlam, following an alleged incident at the Sturt Ave home.

“Since then he has been in fear of the second and third defendants (Ahlam and Hamad) and living in hotels and Airbnbs at some expense,” this week’s judgment notes.

Before the legal action was initiated there had already been elements of a family feud, which had in early 2023 seen police take out another interim AVO – this time against Wally, for the protection of his brother Tarek.

Hamad Assaad is believed to have been responsible for one murder, but claimed to have carried out more.

Assaad was thought to be behind the attempts to kill some of Sydney's biggest gangsters, which ultimately cost him his life.

However, that interim order was later withdrawn in court.

In the cross claim, Tarek Assaad had alleged that he and Hamad had entered into an “oral agreement” with businessman Leo Lewin – who at the time owned the Georges Hall and Villawood properties, under the name of his former company Tyres For Less Pty Ltd. That agreement related to Tyres For Less purchasing the Villawood property “using funds” from the two brothers, with that home to be “held” on their behalf.

CCTV of two balaclava-clad gunmen moments before the execution of Assaad.

The Villawood and Georges Hall properties owned by Tyres For Less – the company Mr Lewin was a founding director of – before leaving control of the business solely to his son Samuel until it was placed into external administration – were sold to Wally for a combined $1.43 million.

Mr Lewin made his name as a bookmaker before moving into business, but has also long been known for his associations with underworld figures.

He has found himself in the headlines on various occasions, including last year, when a Fairfield warehouse from which he has run a carpet business since 1974 was raided by NSW Police and the NSW Crime Commission.

Leo Lewin, a former director of Tyres for Less Pty Ltd, was associated with Hamad Assaad before his assassination.

Hamad Assaad (far right) poses with the Tyres for Less team in a social media photograph from 2015. Picture: Facebook

Inside, police allegedly found eight stolen cars fitted with fake number plates and jerry cans filled with fuel – nicknamed “kill cars” because of their use in gang hits.

Police later charged Simon Lance Nichols over the cars.

There has never been a suggestion of any wrongdoing by Mr Lewin and he has not been charged with any offences.

Ultimately, with Basmat, Ahlam, Tarek and Hamad failing to appear or file any evidence in the matter, Justice Kristina Stern ruled in favour of Wally.

She found that as none of the defendants turned up to court this month, despite being sent notice of the date the matter was listed for, none of their claims could be tested. Justice Stern removed the caveats on the Villawood and Georges Hall homes and ordered any of Wally’s relatives living at the Villawood home must vacate within 30 days.

Originally published as How Assaad clan ended up in court after ‘The Executioner’ was shot dead