A gangland lawyer gunned down in Melbourne in an apparent contract killing insisted he wasn't afraid of dying despite knowing there was a price of up to $500,000 on his head.
Victoria Police are hunting for whoever shot Joe "Pino" Acquaro near his East Brunswick cafe in the early hours of Tuesday morning as details continue to emerge of the lawyer's links with Melbourne mafia figures.
Detectives on Wednesday searched properties belonging to Mr Acquaro amid criticism they should have done more to protect the 55-year-old father of three.
State Police Minister Robin Scott has had discussions with the chief commissioner and vowed police would keep the public safe.
"As a society we can't tolerate murder or violence and as a government we will work with the police to ensure the community is safe," Mr Scott told 3AW.
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Court documents reveal there was a $200,000 contract on Mr Acquaro's head but he seemingly 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".
News Corp Australia on Wednesday reported 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 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.
Mr Acquaro had strong ties within the Calabrian community and had been president of Melbourne's Italian Chamber of Commerce and the Reggio Calabria Club.
As a criminal lawyer he'd represented a raft of prominent gangland figures in Victoria.
Most recently he appeared for Rocco Arico, who's accused of extortion.
Mr Acquaro has also represented Frank Madafferi.
He helped lobby former Howard government immigration minister Amanda Vanstone who overturned a decision to deport Madafferi, who is now in jail for drug offences.
Victoria Police wouldn't comment on reports they'd discovered a smashed mobile phone and a balaclava discarded near the site of Tuesday morning's slaying.
