Perth man Joseph Versace was shot dead unintentionally during a struggle after being confronted over a drug debt, a court has heard.
The man who pulled the trigger, Joshua Duperouzel, was sentenced in the Supreme Court of WA on Tuesday for murdering the father-of-one at a Gnangara workshop on September 29, 2022.
Joshua Colin Duperouzel murdered Joe Versace.
About 4pm that day, the 26-year-old parked his car, turned off his mobile phone, donned black pants, black gloves and a black mask and, carrying a loaded gun, stormed into the workshop where Versace and others were working.
His intention was to recover a drug debt.
But during a verbal altercation between the pair, Duperouzel fired the gun three times into the mezzanine floor of the workshop where Versace, 34, was working, before firing a fourth shot into his eye.
The court was told that while Duperouzel intentionally discharged his gun, he did not intend to kill Versace.
In the moments after the murder, the court heard how Duperouzel – who was on bail for other offences at the time he shot Versace – dumped his black BMW in a Glen Forrest street while a police manhunt was launched to find him.
Hours later, Duperouzel asked a stranger for a sandwich and told them to call police as he was a “wanted man”.
He was arrested at a Belmont park shortly afterwards, but his first record of interview was terminated because of concerns for his mental health.
He later admitted “I had some drama with [Versace] I wanted to sort out”, the court heard.
Duperouzel later told police his intention was to “bash” Versace and said, “me and him wanted to have a fight”.
Joe Versace was shot dead at a workshop in Gnangara.Credit: Facebook
He told police his intention was to recover $3000 he claimed Versace owed him.
“My intention was to go up and get my money and if he wanted to have a fight, then that’s fine, you know, it’s all good,” he said.
The shooting sent shock waves throughout the state as police initially alleged the incident was outlaw motorcycle gang-related.
But the court was told on Tuesday that suspicion was never justified.
“Police had no evidence Mr Versace had been a member of any outlaw motorcycle group and he had no aspirations to be a member of an outlaw motorcycle group,” state prosecutors told the court, adding that the misinformation was traumatising for Versace’s family.
Duperouzel, who was linked to the Rebels bikie club, also told an earlier court hearing: “The club has nothing to do with this case at all ... it’s a personal issue, nothing more.”
Last year, Versace’s heartbroken mother told media her son didn’t deserve to die.
“What’s been said about [Joseph] is completely false, it truly is, I had his daughter come up to me and say, ‘Nanna, was my dad really like that?’ and he wasn’t,” she said.
“Yes, he was in trouble, but he was never a bikie.
“He would drop everything if you were in trouble, it didn’t matter who you were, he would help you, and that’s why I can’t understand why he’s been made out to be this horrible person when he’s not.
“I know I’m his mum, and of course you’d expect me to say that, but it’s the honest-to-God truth. He was in trouble all the time, he did do jail, he was no angel, but he didn’t deserve this … you don’t expect your son to be shot.”
On Tuesday Duperouzel was sentenced to life in prison over the murder, but will be eligible for parole after 14 years.
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