Police offer $1m reward for information about Albert Pisani’s death

IT’S been almost 30 years since Albert Pisani was brutally murdered and buried in a shallow grave. Now police hope a reward will bring answers.

Who killed Albert Pisani? Cold case $1m reward

IT HAS been almost 30 years since Albert Pisani was brutally murdered and buried in a shallow grave.

But time has done nothing to heal his family’s grief.

Almost three decades on, Mr Pisani’s killer is still walking the streets.

The crime happened in 1986, when the 27-year-old man was last seen leaving his home in Moe, Victoria, on October 10 at 11am.

It wasn’t until the next year, June 1987, when his remains were uncovered in a shallow grave in bushland at Driftfield.

Police have reopened the unsolved cold case and are offering $1 million to anybody with information that leads to the apprehension and subsequent conviction of those responsible Mr Pisani’s death.

The Department of Public Prosecutions will also consider granting indemnification from prosecution to any person who provides the identity of the killer.

Detective Senior Sergeant David Butler said there were a number of people living in the Moe area when the murder took place and he believed they were sitting on information that could lead police to the killer.

New reports to Victoria Police suggest these people may have moved on to areas such as Ballarat and Tasmania.

Mr Pisani’s younger sister, Carol Ward, broke down in tears during a plea for answers about the brutal murder of her brother in a press conference on Thursday morning in Melbourne.

“It’s been very difficult and we’ve been struggling with it and dealing with what happened and where it happened,” she said.

“He was much loved by the family, his nephews, aunties, cousins — the whole lot.

“He was happy go lucky.”

Ms Ward said she didn’t believe her brother was caught up in anything sinister at the time of his death and said it would be out of character.

Ms Ward thought back to the day the call from the police came, when they told her they had found the remains of her beloved brother.

“It was horrid — really horrid,” she said.

“It was hard to believe and I just can’t explain to people how we felt.

“No one had any idea at all as to why this would happen.”

She is hoping the reward would bring peace of mind to the family, as none of them could understand why no-one had come forward in the past 29 years.

“It’ll mean a great deal,” she said.

Detective Butler said those with information about the murder had obviously been carrying it a long time.

“There are different motivations for that — some may be fearful or not understand what their piece of the puzzle may mean.

“Some people think ‘just because I know something, I’ve done something wrong’ but that’s not the case.”

Detective Butler said he hoped the death was playing on the minds of those with the knowledge of what happened to Mr Pisani so they would come forward.

Anyone with information can call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit www.crimestoppersvic.com.au