Albert Metledge murder: Police release image of man after attack
Police have put the nation’s airports and ports on high alert for a Russian construction worker wanted for questioning over the fatal stabbing of property developer Albert Metledge.
NSW
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Police have put the nation’s airports and ports on high alert for a Russian construction worker wanted for questioning over the fatal stabbing of property developer Albert Metledge.
Vladimir Kondakov was last seen flagging down and hitching a lift from a passing motorist as he hurriedly left the inner-Sydney building site where Mr Metledge and his son Antony were stabbed on Wednesday.
NSW Police yesterday contacted Russian authorities for information about the Russian national, 49, who they believe may be in Rockdale or Blacktown.
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He was employed by the Metledges as a builder and police have confirmed the attack at a St Peters construction site was “targeted” and believe it stemmed from a prior workplace disagreement.
Mr Metledge, 76, died on the footpath while his 33-year-old son was rushed to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital with the knife still embedded in his chest. He underwent surgery and is in a serious conditions but is expected to recover.
Within hours of the stabbings, Interpol put a notice out for Mr Kondakov at the request of Australian Federal Police and Customs.
Looking into the lenses of TV cameras at a media conference yesterday, NSW Police Inspector Michael Merrett spoke directly to Kondakov urging: “Mr Kondakov, if you’re seeing this, we’re very keen to speak with you. Make yourself known to a police station and turn yourself in.”
Inspector Merrett said he believed the violent and unprovoked attack related to Mr Kondakov’s employment at the site.
“We don’t know how long Mr Kondakov had worked on the site, it was for some time, or how long he has been in the country, but we will be making extensive inquiries about his background with Russia,” he said.
Lebanese-born Mr Metledge, director of ARM Holdings Pty Limited, which secured multi million dollar lease deals with the Department of Defence involving the family’s property empire, is described in tributes posted on social media as an “accomplished and well respected man”.
Yesterday mourners arrived wearing black to comfort Mr Metledge’s wife Mary at the $3.5 million family home in Strathfield.
“The family is in deep shock, Albert was a great guy, a really decent man, everyone is stunned,” a relative said.
Detectives yesterday interviewed workers left traumatised by the frenzied attack at the site in Applebee St to piece together exactly what happened.
It is believed Mr Kondakov turned up for work as usual at 7am and had completed a full day.
Police have deployed “a large” number of officers in the extensive search for Mr Kondakov. Detectives have ruled out the driver who picked him up as an accomplice.
Mr Kondakov is described by police as being Caucasian, 180cm with a shaved head. He was wearing a blue T-shirt and pants and work boots. Police have asked anybody seeing him to call triple-0.
