Dad charged with murders of Yarraville newlyweds Lindita Musai and Veton Musai
A father has been charged over the Yarraville shooting deaths of his newlywed daughter and her husband on New Year’s Eve. It comes after the couple was farewelled by their devastated families last weekend.
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A man has been charged with two counts of murder over a shooting tragedy in Yarraville on New Year’s Eve.
Osman Shaptafaj, 55, of Altona has been charged with shooting dead his daughter Lindita Musai, 25, and her husband Veton, 29.
The couple died after an alleged ambush on the veranda of their Salisbury St home, in Melbourne’s west, on New Year’s Eve.
Ms Musai was killed at the scene of the incident in Salisbury St, and Mr Musai succumbed to his injuries in the hospital on January 1.
Estranged father Mr Shaptafaj, from neighbouring suburb Altona North, was found with gunshot wounds a block away but survived.
Mr Shaptafaj is in The Alfred hospital recovering from gunshot injuries sustained during the same incident.
He was charged at a bedside hearing this morning by detectives from the homicide squad and will face a committal hearing in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on May 20.
The brother of Yarraville shooting victim Lindita Musai this week penned a tribute to his slain sister and brother-in-law, saying he will never forget their love and passion and “otherworldly presence”.
Lindita’s estranged father, Osman Shaptafaj, from neighbouring suburb Altona North, was found with gunshot wounds a block away but survived.
Lindita’s brother Arben Shaptafaj, also known as Beni Shaps, described his sister as a “the diamond in our family” and “our princess”.
“You brought me out of the darkest places with just your smile and we were always on each other’s side no matter what,” he wrote in a Facebook tribute.
“We always said it was us against the world no matter what.”
Arben described Saturday’s joint funeral for the couple as “the most difficult day in many people’s lives”.
The service at the Albanian Australian Islamic Society mosque in Carlton North was full, with about 1000 people lining the street outside to pay their respects.
There was quiet reflection and despair in the congregation, many of whom would have attended the couple’s lavish wedding little more than a year ago.
In his emotional tribute, Arben said he hoped the couple would be remembered for their lives, rather than their tragic end.
“Please remember Veton and Lindita for who they were, their love, their passion and their otherworldly presence, because to remember them for what happened is an injustice to love itself.”
He wrote that Veton was his “best friend”, and “golden brother”.
“You were always the brother I never had and showed me how to breathe through the tough times in my life. Always using your crazy sense of humour to be the centre of attention.
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“You taught me to never give a damn what people think of you as long as you were happy.
“You were secretly my idol because of the way you just lived life to its fullest never missing a second of a day to bring laughter and joy to all that knew you.”
He added: “Veton and Lindita, we will always love you, you brought two families together who will now always be one because of you. We love you, we miss you, your love was endless in life, and now it is endless in death.”