In a verdict that has sent shockwaves through Australia’s criminal underworld, Jaeden Tito, 25, and Rabii Zahabe, 26, have been found guilty of the cold-blooded murder of notorious Melbourne gangland figure Gavin “Capable” Preston. The pair, both from New South Wales, were convicted by a Victorian Supreme Court jury after just three days of deliberation for carrying out a ruthless contract killing in one of the most brazen daylight assassinations Melbourne has ever seen.

The shocking execution unfolded on a sunny Saturday morning, September 9, 2023, outside Sweet Lulu’s cafe in Keilor, Melbourne’s north-west. Preston, 50, was casually eating breakfast with his associate Abbas “AJ” Maghnie when two masked gunmen dressed entirely in black stormed the popular eatery. In a hail of bullets, Preston was shot at least seven times — including a fatal shot to the head — and collapsed dead on the spot. Maghnie was also blasted in the stomach but miraculously survived the ambush. Terrified customers dived for cover as gunfire echoed through the busy suburban cafe, with one baby heard crying for its mother in the chaos.

Prosecutors described the hit as a meticulously planned “contract killing.” Tito and Zahabe allegedly flew down from Sydney, carried out the execution with military-style precision, then fled using a sophisticated series of getaway cars before being driven back across the border. The jury was presented with overwhelming forensic evidence that sealed their fate: DNA from both men was found on balaclavas, gloves, and inside three different getaway vehicles used in the escape. One car was later found burnt out in an attempt to destroy evidence.

Court hearings revealed even more chilling details. Zahabe had searched on his phone for Islamic prayers asking for forgiveness and looked up countries with no extradition treaties — clear signs of a man preparing for life on the run. Tito was linked through messages and had visible injuries to his hand consistent with the chaotic escape. Despite pleading not guilty and claiming they were not the shooters, the jury overwhelmingly rejected their defence after hearing the mountain of scientific evidence.

Gavin “Capable” Preston was no ordinary victim. A feared and violent underworld player with a long criminal history, he had only been released from prison five months earlier after serving time for defensive homicide. He had many powerful enemies, including links to bikie gangs like the Comancheros, the Marrogi crime family, and other heavy players in Melbourne’s shadowy gangland scene. Rumours of a $5 million bounty on his head circulated in court, with suggestions the hit was payback for past betrayals, including desecrating a rival’s grave.

This was not a random act of violence — it was a professional underworld execution carried out in front of innocent families enjoying their weekend breakfast. The brazen nature of the attack in broad daylight has left Melbourne residents horrified and raised serious questions about how organised crime continues to operate so openly in Australia’s streets.

For Tito and Zahabe, the verdict means they now face the very real prospect of life behind bars. Sentencing is expected in the coming months, but with convictions for both murder and attempted murder, judges rarely show mercy in cases this cold and calculated.

The big question still haunting investigators: who ordered the hit? While the two young hitmen from Sydney have been brought to justice, the mastermind or masterminds behind the $5 million contract killing remain at large. Police are continuing their hunt for the person or syndicate that paid for Preston’s death, fearing further retaliation in an already volatile gangland war.

This case has all the ingredients of a true-crime blockbuster — fly-in assassins, DNA forensics, encrypted communications, burnt getaway cars, and a victim straight out of the Underbelly playbook. It exposes how Australia’s criminal networks stretch across state borders and how easily a quiet suburban cafe can become the scene of an underworld execution.

As the verdict sinks in, the families of the victims and the wider community are left grappling with the brutality of it all. Preston may have lived by the sword, but his very public death has sent a chilling message across the country: no one is untouchable, even in broad daylight.

The guilty verdicts bring some closure to one of Melbourne’s most shocking recent gangland murders, but they also open a new chapter. With the puppet masters still hiding in the shadows, fears are growing that this brutal cycle of revenge is far from over.

The underworld never sleeps — and neither do those hunting the people who pulled the strings behind this audacious cafe killing.