Jason Milhuisen found guilty of murdering Daniel O’Shea

A man who carried out the ambush killing of underworld figure Daniel O’Shea in Fawkner Park can now be named after he was found guilty of murder.

A man has been found guilty of the 2019 ambush murder of underworld figure Daniel O’Shea.

Jason Milhuisen, who could not be named until a verdict was reached, silently swore as he learnt his fate on Thursday following a lengthy Supreme Court murder trial.

The 12-person jury had been deliberating since Tuesday morning, with Justice Jane Dixon revoking a pseudonym and suppression order prohibiting naming Milhuisen after the verdict was delivered.

Known in underworld circles as the ‘Shot Caller’, O’Shea, 41, died in a hail of bullets after a planned ambush in Fawkner Park, South Yarra on the night of April 26, 2019.

Daniel O'Shea was shot dead in Fawkner Park, South Yarra in 2019.

Milhuisen lay in wait, concealing himself behind trees before firing multiple rounds into O’Shea – the final bullet shot at close range into his face, the jury heard.

Crown prosecutor Elizabeth Ruddle KC said an associate of the killer was told O’Shea “screamed like a coward” after the first bullet.

Milhuisen was said to have then turned O’Shea over and shot him in the face because “he didn’t want him to have an open casket”, Ms Ruddle told the court.

The jury heard a conversation took place in late 2020 where the killer showed off a revolver in the glove box of his car.

Ms Ruddle said the associate was told “this gun’s the baby brother” of the one that killed O’Shea.

Two guns – including a Smith & Wesson revolver – were located at the park the day after the shooting by a child taking part in an Easter egg hunt.

Homicide squad detectives charged Milhuisen after arresting him in Burwood almost two years after the murder.

The jury heard an extensive investigation led to his arrest, including analysis of CCTV footage of a man in a green baseball cap seen fleeing from the crime scene carrying a plastic shopping bag.

CCTV footage showed a man in a green cap fleeing the scene in South Yarra.

The bag was found dumped in nearby bushes and contained turpentine, a cigarette lighter, an Anko-branded bum bag and pieces of paper.

The morning of the shooting, Milhuisen was captured on security cameras at Kmart Burwood purchasing items of clothing and a bum bag which appeared a close match to those worn by the suspect, the jury heard.

Milhuisen, who was in custody during his trial, was remanded to reappear in court for a pre-sentence hearing next year.