Police hunt after man shot dead at Rochedale

POLICE have released an image of the pensioner gunned down by two masked men at home in front of his 19-year-old daughter last night.

POLICE say two masked men stormed through the back door of John Lazzaro's home in suburban Rochedale South on Wednesday night and shot him dead as his 19-year-old daughter watched on.

Mr Lazarro's dog Kilo, a staffy mastiff cross, was shot once during the terrifying home invasion but, incredibly, his youngest daughter Casey Lazzaro was unhurt.

She called an ambulance but paramedics were unable to save her father's life and he died just after 11pm.

Kilo underwent emergency veterinary surgery this morning and survived.

Police investigations have now turned to the brutal, execution-style murder of the dog's owner.

Mr Lazarro, who has lived at the home for decades, was a pensioner and well-liked by neighbours.

His body was removed from his two-storey brick home just before 1pm.

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Detectives have questioned the murdered man's daughter in relation to the incident throughout Thursday, as well as Mr Lazzaro's brother and sister.

They are not suspects but are helping police to piece together the murdered man's life before he died.

Logan Police Inspector Chris Jory said Ms Lazzaro had showed tremendous strength of character.

"When you consider what she's witnessed and what she's been through, she's been incredibly stoic," he said.

He said police were at a loss to explain why anyone would murder Mr Lazzaro.

"From an investigators point of view, this will be a protracted investigation," he said.

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Neighbour Marjorie Richardson said Mr Lazzaro was friendly and had lived in the area for more than 20 years.

"He would bring my bin in from the street from time to time and I'd do the same for him," she said.

"He was a lovely man and we always got along well.

"It's very upsetting."

Ms Richardson said she heard the man's dog barking but didn't hear gun shots.

She said she heard a "tinny" sound coming from the house but until this morning hadn't realised what happened.

Neighbours on the other side of the murdered man's Priestdale Rd home told The Courier Mail they didn't know the murdered man or his family well.

"They kept to themselves a lot," the neighbour said.

"There's big 6ft high fences between us so there was never anyone out there to talk to."

She said she did not hear gun shots last night.

Police are searching the property for evidence in relation to the shooting murder this morning.

It's not known whether the murdered man was shot multiple times but it's understood a number of bullet shell casings were found inside the home.

The man was shot and killed inside the living room.

The property remains cordoned off by detectives and uniformed police today while forensic officers pour through the evidence.

Several times throughout the day officers emerged from the house carrying mobile phones, a wallet and other items to undergo forensic analysis.

A Police command post has been erected outside the home on Priestdale Rd.