Plasterer Zabi Ezedyar was visiting a Narre Warren home when he was shot several times from behind when he reached the front door and died on the pavement outside.
The Kurrajong Road property was home to underworld figure Mohammed Keshtiar – aka Afghan Ali – who was just out of jail and paroled to live at the house with his parents.
With nothing in his background to suggest he could be the target of the deadly shooting,homicide detectives are investigating the real possibility that 26-year-old Mr Ezedyar is the victim of yet another botched bikie gang shooting.
Three months earlier,and just over 15 kilometres away in Keysborough,22-year-old Mohammed"Mo"Yucel opened the garage door of his friend's place. He ducked out into the rear laneway and was about to walk the few hundred metres home when he was gunned down.
Detectives strongly believe Mr Yucel was the victim of a stuff-up by the Comanchero bikie gang,who wanted another man,Farshad Rasooli,dead after a falling-out. Mr Rasooli had parked his car two doors down,outside where the unsuspecting Mr Yucel was playing video games with friends.
The gunmen opened fired,killing Mr Yucel,and they continued shooting into the garage where they injured two of Mr Yucel's friends.
With Mr Ezedyar,detectives are more cautious. There are a number of lines of inquiries,so they can't say for sure that Mr Ezedyar was mistakenly shot,but like Mr Yucel,there is no strong reason why he should be the intended target.