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Former bikie Kevin "Mick" Woodhouse used his dying
breaths to name the man he believed shot him outside the
Bayswater Waves Aquatic Centre on Wednesday.
The 36-year-old father of two, whose defection to a rival gang
helped sparked WA's deadly bikie gang war in 1998, was allegedly
shot several times with a high-powered weapon about 4.50am as he
sat on a bench outside the centre, waiting to do his regular
morning workout.
St John Ambulance officers arrived within minutes of the shooting
and tried to revive him.
He told witnesses at the scene that he was struggling to breathe,
gasping, "Don't let me die. I don't want to die. Don't let
me die."
But Mr Woodhouse was bleeding to death. Asked who he believed had
shot him, he mentioned the name of a man he had known for 20
years.
Less than 12 hours after the incident in Bayswater, detectives
arrested Johnny Montani, 39, of Morley, and later charged him
with wilful murder. It is understood that Mr Woodhouse and Mr
Montani had a confrontation recently over a debt of $4000-$5000.
Det-Sen. Sgt Scott Higgins said yesterday police would allege
some degree of planning was involved in the attack. He said:
"We are no closer to working out exactly what took place in
the moments leading up to the incident, whether there was a
conversation or not."
Although Mr Woodhouse was a former patched member of both the
Club Deroes and the Coffin Cheaters gangs, Sen. Sgt Higgins said
the shooting was not related to any bikie activity.
"Mr Woodhouse and Mr Montani are long-time associates and
there is no indication that Mr Montani has any meaningful
association at all with any outlaw motorcycle gang," he
said.
The head of the major crime division, Supt Alan McCagh, rejected
what he said was recent criticism in the media about how his
detectives handled murder inquiries.
"We've got a good professional group of detectives right
across the State with quite a degree of contemporary
knowledge," he said.
"We are committed to investigating major crimes and the way
we have responded to several recent murders is indicative of that
professionalism."
Earlier, Mr Montani made a brief appearance in Perth Magistrate's
Court.
Barefoot and dressed in a T-shirt and casual pants, he confirmed
his identity and answered "yes" when asked by
Magistrate Pamela Hogan if he understood the wilful murder
charge. He was remanded in custody until July 22.
© 2004 West Australian Newspapers Limited
