An ex-army reservist, whose identity is protected for legal reasons, was recruited by Pye for a high-profile public assassination.
Pye offered the hitman $100,000 to eliminate a former associate after their friendship deteriorated due to Pye’s switch from the Rebels to the Comancheros motorcycle gang.
The gunman, currently serving a 20-year sentence after admitting to the murder, used a .308-calibre rifle to shoot Martin from a distance of 365 metres. Martin was seated with his family in the spectator area at the racetrack when the incident occurred.
The bullet pierced Martin’s body, exiting through his lower back, and also struck another man in the arm, causing serious injury.
During the court proceedings, it was revealed that Pye later sent the assassin a message containing two coffin emojis and a clapping hands emoji.
Pye informed the shooter, “One dead, one serious,” in reference to the outcome of the attack.
Pye faced a judge-alone trial in the West Australian Supreme Court after pleading not guilty to six charges, including murder.
Pye replied with words to the effect of “the other person didn’t put in – it is what it is”.
During the trial, the assassin said Pye was the “dodgiest person I knew” and said Pye had told him he wanted to “blow holes” in Martin.
The trained marksman confirmed he described his hit on the bikie boss as a “community service”, saying it was “probably my state of mind, yes”.
Pye’s barrister, David Hallowes SC, argued the shooter was a liar and the bikie never asked him to kill Martin.
Prosecutors also said Pye offered to pay the same shooter to murder his ex-girlfriend and another bikie, but their killings never eventuated.
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