Boy, 17, accused of randomly stabbing a beloved grandfather, 73, to death at the front gate of his Melbourne home is charged with murder
- Antonio ‘Tony’ Salaris was found on a footpath in Kilsyth, northeast of Melbourne
- Neighbours found him with at least six stab wounds while mumbling for help
- Police charged a boy, 17, with the grandfather’s murder
The suspected killer of Melbourne grandfather Antonio ‘Tony’ Salaris has been charged with murder.
The 73-year-old was stabbed dead in August at the front gate of his home in Browning Street, Kilsyth.
His alleged attacker is a 17-year-old boy who had been on the run since the attack and was captured by police on Wednesday morning.
Antonio ‘Tony’ Salaris, 73, was found lying on a footpath outside the front gate of a home at Kilsyth, north east of Melbourne, in August
The teenager was charged with one count of murder and remanded to appear in a children’s court on Thursday after facing an out of sessions hearing on Wednesday.
Mr Salaris, a grandfather of seven, was attacked without obvious motive.
Mr Salaris’ wounds indicated he was stabbed multiple times on his back, as well as neck and chest, according to the man who found him covered in blood.
‘He was a nice old boy. He was a really, really nice guy,’ the man said.
Mr Salaris played guitar in a band, and the two men would often chat about music when they crossed paths in the neighbourhood.
Police believe an unknown man was seen with Mr Salaris before fleeing the scene
When neighbours found his body on August 26, they caught a glimpse of the person responsible before he fled.
Police asked residents with relevant CCTV or dashcam footage to come forward, as well as anyone who may have seen someone unfamiliar in the area.
Mr Salaris’ family say they want to know why he was killed when there was ‘really no reason for it.
‘It’s important to all of us – his kids, his grandkids – to know why this happened,’ daughter Stephanie said.
Homicide detectives initially combed a nearby oval for the weapon but they were unsuccessful