Two gunmen have been sentenced to 34 years in prison for the murder of Melbourne underworld figure Gavin Preston. Jaeden Tito, 25, and Rabii Zahabe, 26, received their sentences on Tuesday from Victorian Supreme Court Justice Michael O'Connell.
Justice O'Connell described the killing as a "ruthless and callous disregard for human life" and stated, "This was a contract killing." He added that "The degree of planning and sophistication was of the highest order."
Tito and Zahabe had denied being the masked individuals who attacked Preston, 50, outside a cafe in Keilor, a suburb in Melbourne's northwest, on September 9, 2023. CCTV footage showed two men dressed in black emerging from a car and firing shots at Preston and a friend, Abbas Maghnie. Preston was killed in the attack, while Maghnie sustained a gunshot wound but survived.
Police investigations indicated that the attack was a planned underworld contract killing, with intelligence suggesting Preston had made numerous enemies. Tito and Zahabe maintained their innocence during the trial, arguing that detectives had apprehended the wrong individuals. However, a jury found them guilty of murder in May after three days of deliberations.
Zahabe will be eligible for parole after serving 27 years of his sentence, while Tito will be eligible after 26 years.
