A Melbourne father lay in wait for two hours at his estranged daughter’s house and gunned down the young woman and her husband as the newlyweds arrived home from celebrating their first wedding anniversary.
Lindita and her husband, Veton Musai were bringing their holiday bags from an Uber to the front door of their Yarraville home when they were fatally shot at close range.
The pair died just a day apart, with Ms Musai dying at the scene and her husband the next day in hospital.
The gunman was her estranged father Osman Shaptafaj, who rang the doorbell while the couple lay dying on the porch.
The 57-year-old pleaded guilty to the pair’s murder and was sentenced to life imprisonment in the Supreme Court of Victoria on Tuesday.
“You settled upon an evil plan which almost defies belief,” Justice Andrew Tinney said.
He said Shaptafaj was in a “sad and isolated” state were at the heart of his crimes and the most powerful reason was his anger and resentment towards his daughter and son-in-law.
“Upon their arrival at the threshold of their home with a cold heart you shot them both in the head,” Justice Tinney said.
It was revealed in court Mr Shaptafaj heard “third hand” through his landlord about the wedding of his estranged daughter and was angry he wasn’t invited.
He was also enraged Mr Musai did not seek permission to marry his daughter.
The Altona man had no contact with his daughter since his marriage ended in 2009, and would later cut off contact.
On the day of the killing he circled the Salisbury St home in his car multiple times about 8.30am on December 31, 2019, before he parked and waited for Lindita and Mr Musai to return home.
When they arrived back from their weekend stay in the city to celebrate their anniversary Shaptafaj was waiting.
He walked up behind them and shot them both in the head after they were making their way to the front door with their bags.
Family members were alerted at the sound and when Shaptafaj rang the doorbell and held a gun to his head before he fled the scene.
Afterwards he went to a nearby golf course where in “cowardly fashion” he shot himself twice, Justice Tinney said.
It also emerged in court the killer previously severed his own finger and mailed it to his ex-wife, along with a letter.
At the pre-sentence hearing Shaptafaj’s lawyer confirmed it occurred but it did not form part of the evidence in the newlywed’s murder.
Shaptafaj xjmtzywwas left with a brain injury after he shot himself and lost his right eye, the court was told.
He will be able to apply for parole after 35 years behind bars.
