Homicide Squad detectives have released CCTV vision of six men and are appealing for information following the serious assault and death of a man in Sydney’s west last year, after a vehicle was seized in the New England region. About 4pm on December 30, emergency services were called to a unit block on Mia Mia Street, Girraween, following reports a group of men had been involved in a physical altercation. Upon arrival, officers located a man with severe head injuries in the stairwell of the complex. He was treated at the scene before being taken to Westmead Hospital in a critical condition, where he later died from his injuries about 5.20pm the following day. The man has since been formally identified as 42-year-old Vergel Velasquez. Inquiries into the incident were commenced by officers from Cumberland Police Area Command before detectives from the State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad took carriage of the investigation under Strike Force Brallo.
As part of ongoing inquiries, strike force detectives executed two search warrants at units at Granville on April 16, where they seized a number of items relevant to the investigation. Following further investigations, detectives seized a white Holden station wagon at Moree about 12pm on Sunday, which was involved in the incident last year. The owner of the vehicle, a 49-year-old man, is currently assisting police with inquiries. As investigations into the death of Mr Velasquez continue, detectives have released CCTV vision of six men who attended a service station at Girraween in the white Holden about 3.40pm on Monday 30 December 2019.
Additional CCTV images of three of the men at Pendle Hill, Parramatta and Girraween the day of the assault have also been released. Homicide Squad Commander, Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty, urged the community to look closely at the footage which may contain vital information leading up to the events that resulted in Mr Velasquez’s murder.
“Police are particularly interested in speaking with anyone in the community that may be able to assist investigators identify the men in the vision,” Det Supt Doherty said. “As a result of our inquiries so far, detectives travelled to Moree at the weekend and have seized the vehicle – a white Holden station wagon – shown in the CCTV. “Mr Velasquez was an innocent victim in this attack – he was left with injuries so severe that he sadly lost his life 24 hours later, on what should have been a day of celebration being New Year’s Eve. “As our inquiries into his death continue, we are calling on the public to come forward with any information they may have to help us give answers to the Velasquez family,” Det Supt Doherty said. Investigations under Strike Force Brallo are continuing. Police are urging anyone with information that may assist Strike Force Brallo detectives to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or use the Crime Stoppers online reporting page: https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au/ Information you provide will be treated in the strictest of confidence. We remind people they should not report crime information via our social media pages.