Police extend inquiries as gangland lawyer Joseph Acquaro laid to rest

AS LOVED ones bid farewell to gangland lawyer Joseph Acquaro at his funeral, police extend their investigation beyond mafia connections.

Funeral of murdered lawyer Joe Acquaro at St Mary's Star of the Sea catholic church in west melbourne.Joe Acquaro's coffin is taken into the church.Picture:Ian Currie

AS LOVED ones and associates bid farewell to gangland lawyer Joseph Acquaro at his funeral today, a mystery ute and a new witness have cast doubt on whether his mafia connections cost him his life.

Police believe Joe ‘Pino’ Acquaro, 54, had a $200,000 contract taken out on his life by the Calabrian mafia before he was gunned down in a Melbourne street a week ago.

Mr Acquaro was a criminal lawyer who had represented a number of gangland figures in Victoria, and been warned by police that there may be a contract on his head.

Murdered: Joe Acquaro. Picture: Supplied

But their investigations may take them outside mafia circles after a new witness and the presence of a mystery ute around the time of the shooting were revealed.

Homicide squad detectives have appealed for help from the public as they continue investigations, with Detective Inspector Mick Hughes saying the investigation is following “several lines of inquiry”.

They want to speak to anyone who saw a utility-type vehicle “no bigger that a one tonne ute”, travelling along Barkly Street, near where Mr Acquaro’s body was found on March 15.

A new witness has told them the mysterious ute had its lights turned off and was travelling between Lygon and Nicholson streets between 12.30am and 1am. They believe Mr Acquaro was shot around 12.55am.

Witnesses report hearing loud bangs and a car speeding off about that time. Mr Acquaro’s body was found about 3am.

Father-of-three Mr Acquaro was allegedly feuding with key figures of an organised crime group months prior to his death.

Police had warned an alleged Melbourne mafia boss they knew about a $200,000 contract — reportedly raised to $500,000 in recent months — placed on Mr Acquaro’s life, and had offered to place him in witness protection, but he had refused, saying he had “nothing to fear”.

Joe Acquaro's girlfriend Marisa Di Lisio arrives at his funeral. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

The funeral for Mr Acquaro was held at 10.30am today in West Melbourne.

Last week his heartbroken partner, Marisa Di Lisio, insisted he wasn’t afraid of dying, but he didn’t deserve to die.

“No one deserves to die like that, least of all him. He represented a lot of people. I wish I would wake up and it was all a dream. Unfortunately, it’s not a dream,” she told the Herald Sun.

“He knows we were soulmates and we will meet again in the afterlife.”

As well as representing a slew of underworld figures in court Mr Acquaro was the former chairman of the Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Anyone with information should phone Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Originally published as Police extend inquiries as gangland lawyer Joseph Acquaro laid to rest