Jailed gangland figure quizzed over murder of Carl Williams’ bodyguard
When Carl Williams’ former bodyguard was shot dead at a St Kilda motel, it became one of the most significant killings in Melbourne’s underworld war. Now detectives are probing suspected Mafia boss Rocco Arico over the slaying.
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Suspected Mafia boss Rocco Arico has been questioned in jail over the gangland murder of standover man Richard Mladenich.
The Herald Sun can reveal detectives from the Purana organised crime task force last week interviewed Arico inside Barwon Prison over the slaying of Mladenich almost 20 years ago.
The killing is regarded as one of the most significant of Melbourne’s underworld war.
Mladenich, a former bodyguard for drug boss Carl Williams, was shot dead in front of witnesses at the seedy Esquire Motel in St Kilda on May 16, 2000. A man wearing sunglasses walked into room 18 at 3.30am, took three steps and levelled a .25 calibre pistol at Mladenich’s head then opened fire.
Police believe that man was Arico, who at the time was one of Williams’ many soldiers.
An inquest heard the gunman stared at a witness before walking from the room and that one of those in the room was later warned by another man in jail to “forget about the four seconds in which Richard was killed”.
It is not known whether the wealthy Arico, 41, was able to shed any light on the Mladenich case when detectives called on him at maximum security Barwon last Friday.
Close Arico associate and convicted murderer Tommy Ivanovic is also a suspect.
Ivanovic, who was released from prison in 2018, was last year arrested and quizzed by investigators.
Police have since the earliest stages of the inquiry suspected that Mladenich died on Williams’ orders.
They believe the 37-year-old Mladenich owed him more than $100,000 and they had earlier argued over the matter at Crown casino.
But one theory is that the Mladenich death sentence may also have led to Williams’ own murder inside the Acacia unit of Barwon in 2010.
There is a school of thought that his knowledge of the Mladenich murder and the fact he was assisting authorities on other matters left some powerful figures feeling vulnerable.
A Victoria Police spokeswoman confirmed Purana officers had interviewed a man over the Mladenich murder.
Arico, who is in jail for drug trafficking, extortion and weapons offences, is at risk of deportation to Italy when his term expires.
A $1 million reward remains in place for anyone able to help solve the Mladenich murder.
Anyone with information can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit crimestoppersvic.com.au
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