Stanley Turvey ignored desperate phone calls during cross-state rampage

An armed gunman who spent three days terrorising the public across two states ignored his family’s pleas to end his rampage before police shot him dead.

Loved ones of an armed fugitive shot dead by police after a three-day manhunt have revealed they wished the convicted criminal handed himself into police.

Stanley Turvey, 33, went on a violent crime spree in Victoria and NSW after police visited his Katandra West home to conduct a firearms prohibition order check on Monday.

After taking two people hostage and stealing a car, his rampage ended in Ardmona near Shepparton on Wednesday morning when specialist police shot the armed gunman dead.

A drug-affected Turvey is believed to have ignored desperate attempts by family and friends to contact him while he was on the run.

Stanley Turvey was shot dead by police on Wednesday. Picture: Victoria Police

Police were hunting Turvey after he fired shots during Monday's evade.

The shooting has rocked the Greater Shepparton community, with loved ones sharing their heartbreak over Turvey’s heavy drug use and criminal past that led to his fatal standoff with police.

His relative Phillip Turvey shared his sorrow in the wake of his death, which came after desperate appeals from Turvey’s own family to hand himself in.

“Stanley Dad told you to give up because it wasn’t going to end well and look what happened you should have listened to him,” he said in a social media post.

Friends of Turvey told the Herald Sun they made last-ditch attempts to reach him by phone during the rampage, but those calls went unanswered.

“We all kept in contact as it was going down, (we were) trying to talk him into just turning himself in,” a close mate said.

“But he was too manic.

“He just answered and put the phone down.

“It was just a sad day for all.”

Police block off a road at Ardmona where police shot Turvey. Picture: David Crosling

Associates and family members branded Turvey a “modern day Ned Kelly” who, despite his troubled past, was a “family man before he was a criminal”.

Friend Rachel Ahearn-Dempster said Turvey’s family were remorseful about innocent members of the public getting caught up in his crime spree.

“His family are the most beautiful (and) caring people you can come across,” she posted online.

“Yes, they know what he has done was wrong and wished (he) didn’t do what he had done.

“It’s a shame Stanley took the wrong path of these bloody drugs that are around these days that ruin lots of lives.

“Now his family are having to grieve the loss of a son, dad and brother.

“His family feel for the ones that were involved in all of this and wish they didn’t have to go through what he put them through.”

Special Operations Group police shot dead Turvey at a property at Ardmona. Picture: Nine News

Another friend said Turvey’s choices in life led to his downfall.

“Thinking of your family and your little ones mate, yes it could have been a different outcome but the choices you made didn’t allow that. Rest in peace Stan,” that friend said.

Another said: “He was a family man before he was a criminal.”

Turvey, who is believed to be linked to the Finks outlaw motorcycle gang, was shot by Special Operations Group officers at a farmhouse on Turnbull Rd about 10.15am on Wednesday.

Homicide detectives will investigate Turvey’s death in a probe overseen by Victoria Police’s Professional Standards Command.