A Sydney gang boss assassinated in Greece sensed he was being followed as hitmen stalked him for three weeks before gunning him down.
John Marcris, 46, was killed while getting into his Smart car outside his home in Athens in October.
On Tuesday night police arrested an alleged contract killer in Bulgaria and the 31-year-old man was charged with murder on Friday.
The next day police revealed that Macris had told friends he thought he was being followed in the weeks before his death and decided to carry a gun for protection.
Plain clothed policemen escort the accused Bulgarian man (pictured centre), at a court in Athens
In October, Macris, 46, was gunned down outside his Athens home in an alleged gangland slaying (pictured with his model wife)
Two hitmen tailed him for 19 days in four different rental cars – and the fourth car was seen passing the crime scene after the murder, police said.
Detectives believe the arrested Bulgarian carried out the mission with his brother who they are now looking for.
It is not known who ordered the hit.
Police spokeswoman Ioanna Rotziokou said the suspects, whose names were not made public, spent nearly three weeks allegedly planning the murder.
‘We have strong indications that … it was a contract killing,’ she said. ‘They carefully organised the murder plan keeping the suspect under surveillance and using various rented vehicles.’
The wife of the John Marcris, Viktoria Karyda, has since spoken out and said she was happy with the work police had done
The suspect’s brother is wanted on suspicion of having helped plan the murder and driving the getaway car. The 33-year-old is believed to be in Bulgaria.
Police also revealed the arrested man was deported from his previous country of Canada after a series of minor crimes.
Macris, who was shot from close range outside his home as he left in his car, had earlier been the target of an alleged murder plot in Sydney.
It comes after Macris’s wife condemned the alleged killer and said she wants ‘the worst’ for him.
After the charge was laid on Friday, Ukrainian model Viktoria said: ‘I’m feeling really bad. How would I feel?’
John Macris and Viktoria Karida at their 2016 wedding on the Greek island of Mykonos
‘I don’t want to say anything more. I’m glad this guy was caught. I wish the worst for him,’ she said in Greek, according to Proto Thema newspaper.
Police say the alleged killer, who denies the allegation, fled to his home country of Bulgaria after the killing and was arrested outside a hotel on Tuesday night.
The man was said to have been in the possession of two fake driving licences and he was caught when he returned to Greece to carry out another hit, according to the Kathimerini newspaper.
Greek police are believed to have been tracking the man’s phone to try to determine who paid for the killings and have said they have a key witness in the case.
Macris moved to Athens after fleeing Australia in 2013.
John Marcris, 46, was gunned down while getting into his Smart car in October
At the time he had been issued an arrest warrant for failing to attend court for sentencing after being convicted of driving while his license was cancelled.
Macris is said to have run a highly organised crime racket, importing massive amounts of drugs into Australia.
He was assassinated when a black-clad man with a baseball cap raced to his car, shooting him four times in the shoulder.
The attacker fired another two shots, hitting Macris in the chest as he lurched out of the vehicle, trying to escape.
Macris was laid to rest at Sydney’s Rookwood Cemetery last November. He leaves behind his model wife, Viktoria Karida, and their two young children, Alexandra and Achilles.
Macris was assassinated when a black-clad man with a baseball cap raced to his car, shooting him four times in the shoulder