Joe Acquaro murder: ‘No one deserves to die like that’

THE heartbroken partner of a gangland lawyer who was gunned down in an apparent contract killing has paid tribute to her fallen “soulmate”.

The girlfriend of slain underworld lawyer, Joe Acquaro, Marisa Di Lisio, pictured outside her restaurant Bella Cosi in Port Melbourne.

A GANGLAND lawyer gunned down in an apparent contract killing insisted he wasn’t afraid of dying as his heartbroken partner paid tribute to her fallen ‘soulmate’.

The news of a $500,000 bounty on Joe “Pino” Acquaro’s head emerged as his partner paid tribute, saying he didn’t deserve to die.

It also comes as police announced a taskforce would be assisting with the investigation into his murder.

As police stepped up the hunt for whoever shot Acquaro near his East Brunswick cafe, new details also emerged of the lawyer’s links with Melbourne mafia figures.

Detectives yesterday searched properties belonging to Mr Acquaro, as it was revealed a bounty on the 55-year-old’s head had recently increased to $500,000.

The father-of-three had strong ties with Melbourne’s Calabrian community and as a criminal lawyer who represented a raft of prominent gangland figures.

Joe Acquaro knew he had a bounty on his head but wasn’t afraid of dying.

Most recently he appeared for Rocco Arico, who’s accused of extortion.

Mr Acquaro has also represented Frank Madafferi, who is now in jail on drug offences.

Police remain tight-lipped when it comes to their investigation, refusing even to confirm reports they discovered a smashed mobile phone and a balaclava discarded near the site of Tuesday morning’s shooting.

However this morning, Victorian police announced detectives from the Homicide Squad and the Purana Task Force will join forces to investigate the murder.

The force was established in 2003 to investigate a series of murders linked to organised crime groups.

Meanwhile the partner of the murdered lawyer opened up about his death described him as a kind-hearted man who “couldn’t say no”.

Marisa Di Lisio told The Herald Sun she remained shocked by the killing.

She said when she saw the early news reports of a dead body found outside the cafe, she desperately hoped it wasn’t her man — but feared the worst.

“I rang his office and they confirmed what I dreaded,” she said.

“No one deserves to die like that, least of all him. He represented a lot of people. I wish I would wake up and it was all a dream. Unfortunately, it’s not a dream.

“He knows we were soulmates and we will meet again in the afterlife.”

The pair began a relationship 20 years ago after separating from previous partners and Ms Di Lisio had known him since she was 16.

She also described him as a devout family man who loved his kids.

The murder scene of underworld lawyer Joe Aquaro. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

As the investigation is stepped up, it has been revealed that lawyers for Calabrian-born businessman Tony Madafferi have lashed out at claims he arranged the murder.

Mr Madafferi, who police suspect in the fatal shooting of Mr Acquaro, yesterday applied for broad court orders preventing any further media reports linking him to the murder, The Australian reported.

Mr Madafferi reportedly had a bitter falling out with the lawyer with police suspecting him of being a senior figure within the Calabrian mafia L’Onorata Societa for some time.

However his lawyer Georgina Schoff said the suggestion her client was responsible for Mr Acuaro’s murder “beggars belief.”

Earlier, court documents revealed there was a $200,000 contract on Mr Acquaro’s head but he ignored warnings by police that his life was in danger.

Detectives had threatened one suspected underworld figure that if anything were to happen to Mr Acquaro “they would know where to start looking”.

The bounty had increased to $500,000 in recent months and at the same time a foreign hitman had entered Australia.

But Mr Acquaro didn’t alter his movements and was shot after leaving his Gelobar cafe around 12.40am on Tuesday.

The well-known ice-cream cafe had previously been attacked by an arsonist in January.

“I’ve got nothing to lose,” Mr Acquaro told News Corp recently regarding the contract on him.

“I’m isolated. They can’t physically harm me. They are trying to destroy my reputation, my family. I’m not afraid of dying. They are not men of honour.”

Police want to speak to anyone who heard shots or a car travelling fast on St Phillip Street, East Brunswick, where Mr Acquaro’s body was found by a rubbish-truck driver around 3am.

The homicide squad is waiting for an autopsy report to confirm how many times Mr Acquaro was shot and what type of gun was used.

Mourners lay flowers at the murder site. Picture: Jake Nowakowski