Homicide Squad detectives have charged a man in connection to the 2011 murder of Saso Ristevski in the Illawarra, NSW Police say.
Strike Force Calligan was established by detectives from the NSW Homicide Squad, with assistance of detectives from Lake Illawarra and Wollongong Local Area Commands, to investigate a number of crimes in the Illawarra region, including the murder of Saso Ristevski almost five years ago.
Mr Ristevski, 37, was at his parents’ home in Barina Avenue, Lake Heights, when he was confronted by three men about 8.30pm on Wednesday 28 September 2011. He was shot and died at the scene.
Following extensive inquiries, strike force detectives arrested a 37-year-old man at Warrawong about 8.15am today.
He was taken to Oak Flats Police Station, where he was charged with three counts of accessory before the fact to armed robbery with wounding.
The man has been refused bail to appear at Wollongong Local Court today.
Shortly after, two search warrants were executed at homes at Warrawong and Barrack Heights, where they located a number of items, which have been seized for further examination.
In addition, an arrest warrant is expected to be served on an inmate at a correctional facility for the offence of murder.
Investigations by Strike Force Calligan detectives are continuing, which includes the disappearance of Goran Nikolovski, 35, who was last seen at his Unanderra home just one month later on Monday 31 October 2011.
Mr Nikolovski’s silver/grey Honda Accord was found burnt out at Macquarie Pass early the following day and he has not been seen since or accessed his bank accounts.
Detectives believe he has been murdered but his body has never been found despite extensive searches of bushland in the Illawarra escarpment with the assistance of the Sydney Catchment Authority, National Parks and Wildlife Service and mines experts.
Police would still like to hear from anyone who saw Mr Nikolovski after he left his home on the Monday night or has information about his disappearance.
He was last seen wearing a light blue T-shirt, black tracksuit pants, white joggers and a black baseball cap, and police have released CCTV images of him wearing that outfit in the hope it might jog someone’s memory.
Another incident investigated by Strike Force Calligan detectives was the shooting death of Darko Janceski, 32, in the front yard of his home at Gannet Avenue, Berkeley, on Saturday 14 April 2012. A number of people have been charged over his death.
Police are urging anyone with information in relation to these incidents to call Crime Stopers.
