Grainy CCTV captures the moment a father was distracted on a quiet street and then shot dead – as cops release map in a bid to solve brazen execution
- Father gunned down in targeted execution on Adelaide’s northern outskirts
- Multiple plotters planned the murder, SA Police say, as they declare major crime
- Simon Middleton was known to police and killing spot was under surveillance
A father found dead in an industrial street in Adelaide’s northern outskirts was shot in a planned execution, South Australian Police said on Monday.
Police believe the conspiracy to murder Simon Middleton, 49, at 1.52am on March 8 near the corner of Leach and Brady Streets, Virginia, involved multiple people.
The premises where he was killed had been under surveillance prior to the shooting, Major Crime Detective Inspector Brett Featherby told media on Monday.
CCTV footage captured the moment of Simon Middleton’s murder. His body is covered with the blurred out oval, seconds after the flash of the firearm is seen.
‘Simon was known to police but no-one deserves to die in the manner that Simon has died and we won’t discuss his history any further at present,’ he said.
Mr Middleton’s death has been declared a major crime and is the subject of an ongoing investigation involving multiple people.
‘We are aware a number of people have been involved in the planning of that murder and the commission of the offence,’ Det-Inspector Featherby said.
Police released CCTV footage of the killing on Monday in the hopes that members of the public with dashcam footage or who had seen anything suspicious would come forward.
Police are especially asking for anyone who saw anything suspicious between Brady and Leach Streets, Virginia, on Adelaide’s northern outskirts, between 11pm on Sunday March 7 and 3am on Monday March 8 to please share what they know.
Police said a suspicious white Nissan Patrol had been seen travelling north on Phineas St, Virginia at 1.43am on March 8, on CCTV cameras.
Simon Middleton, 49, was gunned down in a targeted execution, SA Police said on Monday.
The Nissan then stops and drops a man off, who police believe then walks east through a church towards Leach street.
At 1.52am CCTV cameras caught Simon’s murder near the corner of Leach and Brady streets.
From the footage, police have determined that one man engaged Mr Middleton in conversation before another man shot him.
The video shows two men running south on Leach Street following the shooting before one runs back north and then northeast onto the extension of Brady Street.
SA Police released an aerial surveillance map of the March 8 murder scene
The police identified a suspicious white Nissan Patrol 1998, number plate WDA-262, with a broken rear left tail light.
Police seized the Nissan Patrol at its owner’s home in Adelaide’s northern suburbs, Det-Inspector Featherby said.
He said police had a good idea of the motive, but they were keeping secret as it would form part of the evidence of the case.
‘To date we’ve searched eight premises and seized seven vehicles with those investigations continuing,’ he said.
Police had spoken to several people, who had not been forthright in providing full accounts of what they knew, he said.
Major crime detectives are keeping an open mind on the possible motives for the targeted attack, and Det-Inspector Featherby urged people who knew about the situation to come forward with their information.
‘Do the right thing by Simon’s family,’ he said.
If you have information, you can call Crime Stoppers tonight between 5pm and 9am and speak directly to detectives conducting this investigation. All calls made to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 can remain anonymous.
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