A father and son allegedly gunned down another man in a suburban street after claiming he stole one of their wallets, a jury has heard.
Abdurhman Jemal, 33, was shot dead outside a Glenroy shopping strip in Melbourne’s north about 4.30am on March 29, 2024.
Luke James Picking, 42, is accused of firing the fatal shot from the driver’s seat of a Volkswagen Golf, while his son Brodi, 19, was allegedly in the passenger seat.
The two men have both been charged with Jemal’s murder and are on trial in the Victorian Supreme Court after pleading not guilty.
A third man, 49-year-old Ian Harris, is also accused of helping Luke Picking dispose of the firearm.
Brodi Picking and Jemal were associates but they had a falling out when Brodi accused Jemal of stealing his wallet, Crown prosecutor Patrick Bourke KC told the jury.
The two men had an argument in a Bunnings car park the day before the alleged murder, with Brodi allegedly telling a friend he was “going to f—ing kill the c—“, Bourke said.
Prosecutors allege in the hour before the shooting, Brodi and Luke Picking were seen driving past locations connected to Jemal, including his mother’s home.
It’s alleged they located Jemal driving a red Hyundai in Glenroy and followed the 33-year-old until he pulled over and confronted them.
CCTV footage played to the jury showed yelling between the two groups before Jemal was shot in the face.
Bourke alleged Luke Picking said “you want a f—ing air raid” to Jemal before firing the bullet and speeding off.
Jemal stumbled back to his car and managed to press down on the horn before he collapsed.
He died after suffering multiple shotgun pellets to the face and neck.
After the shooting, Brodi Picking allegedly told his aunt his dad was the one who killed Jemal but he wasn’t involved.
He also told associates he was in Heidelberg being “jumped” by a man called Aboriginal Jason at the time of the incident, Bourke told the jury.
Prosecutors allege Luke Picking called Ian Harris immediately after the shooting and later met up with him.
A series of messages were also read to the jury where Harris allegedly told Luke “I got rid of them when you told me to”.
Bourke will finish his opening address to the jury on Wednesday morning, before lawyers for the three accused put forward their case.
The jury will then be taken to the location of the alleged murder.
