Police have arrested the alleged gunman over the execution of John Versace, a tradie shot dead in a case of suspected mistaken identity, just days after two more men were charged over the murder.
Versace, 23, was ambushed in the driveway of his Condell Park family home about 10.30pm on May 19 and fatally shot several times at close range.
NSW Police search for evidence in Fairfield East where a burnt-out Toyota was found after the murder of John Versace (right) in Condell Park.Credit: Kate Geraghty/Supplied
Taskforce Falcon, set up by police to clamp down on Sydney’s gangland after a series of shootings this year, arrested Blaze Collins at Silverwater on Tuesday.
They had absorbed the original investigation into Versace’s murder, known as Strikeforce Harkstede.
“Following further inquiries, about 9am today (Tuesday, 11 November 2025) detectives attended a location in Silverwater where they charged a 21-year-old man with murder,” NSW Police said in a statement.
“Police will allege the man was the gunman in the shooting murder of John Versace.”
Collins was refused bail to appear in Burwood Local Court today and will next appear in court on January 21.
After six months of investigation police found no sign Versace was involved in organised crime or any other wrongdoing, and until last week, had made no arrests.
The big break came with the arrests of 19-year-old Ahmed Naji and a 43-year-old man at properties in Bankstown and Casula six days ago.
Police will allege the 43-year-old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, drove Collins to and from Versace’s home, and that he staged vehicles that were later used as getaway cars before being torched.
Naji is alleged to have acquired and staged getaway cars at several locations near Versace’s home that were used to flee the crime scene.
He allegedly drove the 43-year-old man and Collins to the car in which the pair travelled to the Condell Park address.
“There’s nothing to suggest that Mr Versace was anything but a hard-working young man who was living at home with his family and trying to set himself up for the rest of his life,” Jason Box, Falcon’s commander, said following the arrests last week.
Box fronted cameras again on Tuesday following Collins’ arrest, calling the shooting of Versace a “brutal murder”.
“This is the third person charged in relation to the murder of John Versace,” Box said.
“He has appraised Mr Versace in the driveway of his premises and fired a series of shots from a pistol which proved fatal.”
Collins is believed to be a member of a gang called G7, which is made up of young men and teenagers from the city’s south.
G7, police have previously claimed, are criminals for hire who do work for other gangs.
They have no particular allegiances and simply work for the highest bidder, police sources previously told Herald.
Box said police continued to look at those who lived around Versace’s home, scouring intelligence trying to try and figure out why a kill crew was sent to the Versace house.
There was “nothing at all that we are aware of” that hinted at a warning before the young tradie was shot dead just outside his front door, Box said.
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