McGurk murder trial told ‘motherf***er’ at the top was developer Ron Medich

THEY had a friendship built on long lunches and trips to Chinese massage parlours but that all ended when Fortunato “Lucky” Gattellari was arrested for murder a court has heard.

When killer Haissam Safetli demanded to see the man ‘at the top’ it is alleged it was Ron Medich he was taken to see. Picture: John Grainger

THEY had a friendship built on long lunches and trips to Chinese massage parlours but that all ended when Fortunato “Lucky” Gattellari was arrested for murder and his millionaire mate, Ron Medich said he could not fund his legal fees.

Today Gattellari told Ron Medich’s murder trial that when he received the news that his friend would not help him he passed on this message: “If that is the case he can pack his bags too.”

Gattellari, 66, is the star witness at Medich’s trial for the murder of property developer Michael McGurk, 45.

Fortunato "Lucky" Gattellari has told the trial that Ron Medich was the man ‘at the top’.

Medich, 68, has pleaded not guilty to the murder and a second charge of trying to intimidate Mr McGurk’s widow, Kimberley.

Gattellari has given evidence that Medich recruited him to arrange the murder of his former business partner who was shot in the head outside his Cremorne home in September 2009.

Today he told the jury what happened after he was arrested more than a year later in relation to Mr McGurk’s murder.

He said he asked Ron Medich’s son, Peter, to tell his father he would need financial assistance for his defence and to get bail and it could be “in the tune of $1 million”.

But Gattellari was not happy with the response.

“Peter told me that his father could not help because his wife had a freeze (on his accounts)…(I told him) if that’s the case he can pack his bags too.”

Mr McGurk was shot in the head at close range as he got out of his Mercedes with a takeaway chicken outside his Cranebrook Ave home at 6.25pm on September 3, 2009.

Haissam Safetli when he was arrested over the murder of Mr McGurk in 2009.

Crown prosecutor Gina O’Rourke had previously told the jury that Medich and Mr McGurk had a close working relationship but that had soured and they were involved in several legal disputes involving millions of dollars.

Ms O’Rourke asked Gattellari if he had received any payment for arranging the murder of Mr McGurk

“I did not,” he replied.

Ms O’Rourke asked Gattellari why then did he agree to organise the killing?

“In my case it was blind loyalty to someone I considered to be a very close friend and associate, someone I spent a lot of time with. He was in all sorts and distraught when he asked me and I stupidly agreed to do it,” he said.

Businessman Michael McGurk was shot in the head at close range as he got out of his Mercedes with a takeaway chicken outside his home.

Gattellari received a 60 per cent discount for pleading guilty to his role in the murder and for ongoing assistance to police.

Three other men — Christopher Estephan, Haissam Safetli and Senad Kaminic — have also pleaded guilty to their role in the murder of Mr McGurk.

Medich’s defence barrister Winston Terracini SC has told the jury that there were “no payments of any kind to anyone.”

Mr Terracini said the accused’s case would centre on challenging Gattellari’s honesty, reliability and whether he was deliberately trying to be misleading in his evidence

The trial continues before Justice Geoffrey Bellew.

Originally published as McGurk murder trial told ‘motherf***er’ at the top was developer Ron Medich