John Latorre hit latest in list of well executed Melbourne underworld slayings

John Latorre was barely out his front door when he was shot in a hit so well organised it barely left a trace. Location and money would be no barrier to find the right hitman for those who wanted him dead.

The execution of Greenvale fruiterer John Latorre was the latest in a list of calculated underworld slayings; a victim barely making it past the mailbox and a killer disappearing without a trace.

Latorre – who had suspected Mafia links – was believed to have been killed by a professional hitman, well researched in the fruiterer’s daily routine and vouched for by underworld figures to get the job done.

Although unclear if the shooter was recruited locally or flown in from elsewhere, experts say borders would not have been a deterrent for organised crime bosses.

Deakin University criminology professor David Bright said the hunt for a hit man came down to finding the best person for the job — regardless of location.

Fruiterer John Latorre was gunned down in Greenvale on March 12. Picture: Supplied.

Latorre’s body is taken from the scene. Picture: Nicki Connolly

“These borders don’t mean a great deal to these groups because their members are spread fairly wide,” he said.

“Especially in high risk situations like organising a murder, you want someone who is highly trusted and who has the credentials, experience and is a known gun for hire.

“To have the skill set of a hit man and to be willing to take the very high risk that you’ll spend a lot of time in jail are combined attributes that are hard to find. It’s much more important to find the right person that might be two states away rather than the most available guy.”

A Sydney tradie is alleged to be a recent gunman who crossed state borders for a job, gunning down gangland figure Gavin Preston at a Keilor cafe in front of customers last year.

While state and international borders proved no issue to crime bosses, reputations of their hired gun was of the highest importance.

Jaeden Tito, 22, after being arrested for the shooting death of Gavin Preston. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Prof. Bright said a hit man’s standing is often “vouched for” by other respected players.

“What happens in the criminal world is a lot of what is called brokerage or vouching where guys will vouch for someone they know to do the job,” Prof Bright said.

“That kind of interpersonal vouching is something we see a lot across different types of criminal activity or organised crime. It’s about building that reputation and being able to be vouched for.

“A big part of that world is one’s word and reputation. Some disputes that happen are a result of breaches over unspoken rules … in that world there are no written contracts and things come down to one’s word.”

Like a host of others before him — Vince Mannella, Francesco Benvenuto, Giuseppe Arena, Vincenzo Muratore and Dino Dibra — Latorre was murdered undertaking a daily routine.

The method behind this ploy of interrupting the victim while they perform a mundane chore, is one criminologists call the “routine activities theory”.

A police officer comforts a woman on the scene of Mr Latorre’s murder. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Detectives chat with Mr Latorre’s family members outside his Greenvale home. Picture: Nicki Connolly

While the theory has traditionally been used to explain burglaries — striking during times they know a target’s home is vacant — Prof Bright said it could also apply to underworld murders.

“It’s people going about their daily routine and if their routine is known and someone wants to knock them off then they’re at risk,” he said.

“My guess is it’s about a motivated offender who wants to engage in a crime and this time it’s homicide or murder and if it’s carefully planned they will take into account that these people have a routine.”

Victoria Police say they are treating Latorre’s death as “targeted” and have turned their focus to an “unidentified motorcycle” which could provide more answers into the shooting.