Police launch review into Richard Mladenich’s underworld killing

The unsolved execution of standover man Richard Mladenich in a seedy St Kilda motel shook Melbourne’s underworld nearly two decades ago. And police have revealed the unlikely murder weapon in the fresh push to find his killer.

The Mladenich execution is regarded as one of Melbourne’s most significant underworld killings.

Police have launched a major review of the murder of Richard Mladenich, the crime credited with signing Carl Williams’ death warrant.

The execution of Mladenich in room 18 at a St Kilda motel 19 years ago is regarded as one of Melbourne’s most significant underworld killings.

The Herald Sun can reveal the murder weapon was a tiny .25 calibre pistol. It would have been barely bigger than the palm of a hand.

Detective Sgt Jesse Maxwell of Purana taskforce said Mladenich was an intelligent, much-loved man whose family deserved justice.

“He was no angel but he was never one of those really bad people,” Sgt Maxwell said.

“He had some bad associations, made some stupid decisions.”

Mafia figure Rocco Arico has in the past been named as a suspect in the killing.

Mladenich is loaded into an ambulance where he later died.

Police tape at the murder motel in 2000.

One theory is that he acted on the orders of his one-time mate Williams who was angered over a $120,000 drug debt. Williams and Mladenich had earlier argued publicly at Crown Casino.

There are suspicions part of the reason for the 2010 jailhouse hit on Williams was his knowledge of the Mladenich killing.

But organised crime investigators say they are not wedded to one line of inquiry.

Detectives from the Purana taskforce are pulling apart the entire Mladenich file in an effort to make an arrest.

They say there were three groups of people who would know what happened.

They are people involved in its planning, the witnesses and people who assisted later or were told what had happened.

Investigators hope the passage of time, shifting allegiances and the lure of a $1 million reward will break the silence.

Witnesses will be reinterviewed and police say the May, 2000, crime is solvable.

Williams has long been suspected of organising the Mladenich murder.

Richard Mladenich.

The Esquire Motel in Acland St in 2000.

Authorities have probed whether it was the motive for the drug kingpin’s brutal 2010 murder inside Barwon Prison.

Police have previously examined whether Williams commissioned Arico and another mate, Dino Dibra, to kill Mladenich.

Williams and Arico are believed to have been together in the city on the night of the murder.

Later, at 3.30am, a gunman wearing sunglasses silently marched into room 18 of the Esquire motel and shot Mladenich.

Arico is currently in jail doing time for drug trafficking, extortion and weapons offences.

Police say there was more to the man known as Richard the Lionheart than his outlaw side.

Sgt Maxwell declined to comment on individual suspects.

He said police had people of interest but were open to anything that might take the inquiry in another direction.

“To say there’s only one possibility of who was responsible would be incorrect,” Sgt Maxwell said.

Evidence crime scene photos from the murder scene.

ECCENTRIC MLADENICH NO UNDERWORLD A-GRADER

Richard Mladenich never played underworld A-grade.

An eccentric standover man and drug dealer, he died in a seedy St Kilda motel at the hands of a gunman wearing shades and before three terrified witnesses.

But in death, Mladenich’s impact could yet be enormous.

His cold-blooded execution inside room 18 of the Esquire motel on Acland St continues to reverberate 19 years later.

It remains at the top level of motives for the 2010 slaying of Carl Williams inside Barwon Prison by informer-hating Matthew Charles Johnson.

The secrets of the Mladenich murder are also viewed as a potent threat to senior underworld figure Rocco Arico.

Testimony from a witness in the Mladenich case was found in Johnson’s cell after the Williams hit.

Rocco Arico. Picture: Hamish Blair

A man police wish to speak with over the murder.

It was an open secret that Williams had given police information about drug squad detective Paul Dale over the murder of police informer Terry Hodson and his wife Christine.

But what if he decided to assist investigators about the Mladenich matter?

Those who had once been close to Williams had cause for concern.

Two years after Mladenich was murdered, experienced investigator Tim Day named Arico as the prime suspect during a court application to question him.

Arico, who is in jail, has never been charged but there were a number of factors which were to make him a person of interest.

His association with Williams and the rancour between the dealer and Mladenich was one.

Witnesses spoke of having seen Arico at the Esquire in the days before the murder and his face was allegedly consistent with a photofit compiled by direct witnesses to the murder.

Arico is facing the prospect of deportation to his native Italy when freed from prison.

Purana taskforce head detective Inspector Jacqui Curran said multiple people were involved in the crime and others had knowledge of what had happened.

The room at Esquire Motel where Mladenich was gunned down.

Police think the glasses were worn by the killer.

The fact a gunman arrived at 3.30am, walked straight into the room and shot Mladenich dead in seconds meant he was acting on rock-solid information.

“Someone had to know he was there. It had to involve more than one person,” Insp. Curran said.

The murder of Mladenich is suspected of being the first of many organised by Williams.

They had for years been mates after meeting in jail where the big, tough man known as Richard the Lionheart provided protection.

The Herald Sun has been told Mladenich had known Williams’ wife Roberta since they were children.

Investigators say it is not just a matter of getting justice for the death of Mladenich.

While unsolved, it meant someone capable of such a ruthless killing remained free.

“Those factors alone make it important enough for us to continue to investigate and try and find some answers,” Sgt Jesse Maxwell of Purana said.

Carl Williams was long suspected of organising the hit.

FAMILY’S EMOTIONAL PLEA FOR HELP

Richard Mladenich’s older brother Mark has not had a good day in 19 years since the “good family member” was murdered in a seedy St Kilda motel.

Speaking after police renewed their call for underworld figures to ’fess up to the killing, brother Mark revealed the toll the death had on the family.

“My brother hasn’t seen the sun come up or go down for 19 years,” Mr Mladenich said.

“He (Richard) left a heartbroken mother, a mother and a family. He didn’t deserve what he got. He was a good family member. “

He believed police would catch the “coward” who shot his baby brother.

But justice would come too late for their 93-year-old mother.

Richard Mladenich is still being mourned by his family.

The gangland figure has been dead for nearly two decades.

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“Nineteen years has been long enough,” Mr Mladenich said. “I’ve got faith in the police to resolve this case.

“Until that’s resolved I won’t rest easy either. I have not had a decent day in 19 years.

Detectives investigating hope the changes of allegiances over the two decades since the murder would mean someone who knew what happened would finally come forward.

“Peoples allegiances and loyalties change,” Detective Acting Sergeant Jesse Maxwell said.

“The fear of maybe talking has past.

“People, maybe they’ve seen the light. It’s a big thing to get off your chest.”

Anyone with information can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or go to crimestoppersvic.com.au

Originally published as Police launch review into Richard Mladenich’s underworld killing