UPDATE
The live-in girlfriend of a Bacchus Marsh man shot dead on Tuesday has been charged with his murder along with a man she allegedly enlisted to carry out the crime.
Paul Hogan, 48, was fatally shot in the head while seated in the driver’s seat of a white van on Tuesday.
Yu Lo, 26 and Thornbury man Daniel Duhovic, 33, were arrested on Wednesday and faced the Melbourne Magistrates Court today charged with his murder.
Police allege Ms Lo, Mr Hogans live-in girlfriend, arranged for Duhovic to murder her boyfriend according to a summary released by the court.
Mr Duhovic is accused of driving to Mr Hogan’s home with a shotgun and shooting him from just over a metre away.
The pair were remanded in custody to appear in court again on October 20.
Emergency services were called to Mr Hogan’s Labilliere Street home just before 8.20am on Tuesday after neighbours reported hearing arguing followed by gunshots.
Memorial
A memorial was set up at the Noodle Lovers restaurant in Bacchus Marsh where Mr Hogan worked as a delivery driver while tributes continue to flow online.
“You [were] very much like a father to me,” a colleague wrote.
“Someone that was consistently there for me, that cared for me and gave me the most thoughtful and of experienced advice, stood by my toughest times and always without fail checked up on me.
“Today my heart tore and dropped into my stomach… I waited a few minutes in hope you would respond to my message and thought to myself that it couldn’t be. It’s impossible.
“I’ll see him tonight at work and we’ll have a giggle about this” I’d thought to myself.
“I’ll forever hold [feelings] of regret and guilt that I had never told you enough…how much I truly appreciated you and thought so highly of you.”
Suspect car
Those who knew Mr Hogan asked members of the Bacchus Marsh Residents Facebook page to check dashcam footage from last week to assist police with their investigations.
Detective senior sergeant Steve McIntyre said a silver SUV which was seen speeding away from the scene on McCrae Street.
“We understand that around that time witnesses had seen a silver SUV vehicle pull up…and an offender has approached the driver’s side of that vehicle and shot the deceased while he was sitting in the front driver’s seat,” he said.
“The silver SUV that was seen decamping from the scene and was last seen travelling at a fast speed in a southerly direction along McCrae Street.
“We have had reports of an argument, or a dispute that was occurring in the street in the hour prior to this incident.”
Nearby Bacchus Marsh College was locked down for a short time as a precaution.
“It’s a disturbing thing for any shooting at this time of day in a residential setting. It’s going to be something that will have a large local impact,” Detective senior sergeant McIntyre said.
“The deceased will have friends and relatives who are unaware of his death and…they will be in shock and they will be mourning.”
Anyone who witnessed the incident or with further information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential crime report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
