Victor Peirce
Encyclopedia
Victor George Peirce was an Australian criminal from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Peirce was a member of the Pettingill family
, headed by matriarch and former Richmond
brothel owner Kath Pettingill.
, a crime for which he was acquitted by jury along with three accomplices after she failed to give truthful evidence in court.
His funeral was held on 9 May 2002, at the Saint Peter and Paul's Parish Church in South Melbourne. Father Bob Maguire conducted the service. Peirce was later buried at the Altona Memorial Park. Present was Jason Moran, former running mate of slain gangster Alphonse Gangitano
. Moran was a suspect in the murder of Gangitano, who was shot dead in his Templestowe home on 16 January 1998.
On 22 June 2007, Victoria Police
arrested Faruk Orman in the western suburb of Sunshine
, alleging he was the driver for Peirce's killers.
In September 2007 Vince Benvenuto – brother of Frank Benvenuto, an underworld identity reputedly under the protection of Victor Peirce and murdered May 2000 – was arrested for drug trafficking. The Age
reported that when asked whether he was arrested as a result of the Purana investigation, police replied: "He's a suspect in relation to the murder of Victor Peirce." But it was hitman Andrew 'Benji" Veniamin
who shot dead Pierce. Benji claimed "If I don't get Victor he'll get me first". An unnamed man who drove Benji to the killing was found guilty of the murder in September 2009 and was sentenced in November 2009 to a minimum of 14 years in prison, which took into account more than two years he had already been in custody. Veniamin was later killed in 2004 by Domenic "Mick" Gatto. Gatto told the court that it was in self defense, and was acquitted by a jury at trial.
Pettingill family
The Pettingill family is an infamous Melbourne-based criminal family, headed by matriarch Kath Pettingill. Family members have many convictions for criminal offences including drug trafficking, arms dealing and armed robberies...
, headed by matriarch and former Richmond
Richmond, Victoria
Richmond is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Yarra...
brothel owner Kath Pettingill.
Walsh Street police shootings
In 2005, Peirce's widow, Wendy Peirce gave an interview to Australian media detailing how her husband planned and carried out the 1988 Walsh Street police shootingsWalsh Street police shootings
The Walsh Street police shootings was the 1988 murder of two Victoria Police officers, Constables Steven Tynan, 22, and Damian Eyre, 20. The officers were responding to a report of an abandoned car when they were gunned down about 4.50am in Walsh Street, South Yarra, Australia on 12 October...
, a crime for which he was acquitted by jury along with three accomplices after she failed to give truthful evidence in court.
Death
Peirce was shot dead in a car parked opposite the Coles supermarket in Bay St, Port Melbourne on 1 May 2002.His funeral was held on 9 May 2002, at the Saint Peter and Paul's Parish Church in South Melbourne. Father Bob Maguire conducted the service. Peirce was later buried at the Altona Memorial Park. Present was Jason Moran, former running mate of slain gangster Alphonse Gangitano
Alphonse Gangitano
Alphonse John Gangitano was an Italian Australian criminal from Templestowe, a suburb of Melbourne. Nicknamed the "Black Prince of Lygon Street", Gangitano was the face of an organisation known as the Carlton Crew, and a close associate of convicted criminals Graham Kinniburgh, Mick Gatto and...
. Moran was a suspect in the murder of Gangitano, who was shot dead in his Templestowe home on 16 January 1998.
On 22 June 2007, Victoria Police
Victoria Police
Victoria Police is the primary law enforcement agency of Victoria, Australia. , the Victoria Police has over 12,190 sworn members, along with over 400 recruits, reservists and Protective Service Officers, and over 2,900 civilian staff across 393 police stations.-Early history:The Victoria Police...
arrested Faruk Orman in the western suburb of Sunshine
Sunshine, Victoria
Sunshine is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia lying 11 to 13 km west of the CBD. Its Local Government Area is the City of Brimbank. At the 2006 Census, Sunshine had a population of 8,070.-History:...
, alleging he was the driver for Peirce's killers.
In September 2007 Vince Benvenuto – brother of Frank Benvenuto, an underworld identity reputedly under the protection of Victor Peirce and murdered May 2000 – was arrested for drug trafficking. The Age
The Age
The Age is a daily broadsheet newspaper, which has been published in Melbourne, Australia since 1854. Owned and published by Fairfax Media, The Age primarily serves Victoria, but is also available for purchase in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and border regions of South Australia and...
reported that when asked whether he was arrested as a result of the Purana investigation, police replied: "He's a suspect in relation to the murder of Victor Peirce." But it was hitman Andrew 'Benji" Veniamin
Andrew Veniamin
Andrew "Benji" Veniamin was an Australian criminal, convicted car thief, murderer accused of killing 7 underworld figures and was one of the key figures involved in the Melbourne underworld killings...
who shot dead Pierce. Benji claimed "If I don't get Victor he'll get me first". An unnamed man who drove Benji to the killing was found guilty of the murder in September 2009 and was sentenced in November 2009 to a minimum of 14 years in prison, which took into account more than two years he had already been in custody. Veniamin was later killed in 2004 by Domenic "Mick" Gatto. Gatto told the court that it was in self defense, and was acquitted by a jury at trial.