The daughter of John Latorre, the Melbourne underworld figure gunned down in his driveway, has shared tragic new details about the moments after he was shot.
In a packed out funeral service, Latorre was remembered as ‘a man of honour, respect and generosity’, and his daughter said she did ‘everything she could’ to save him after his execution-style murder.
Family embraced and wept as they proceeded into the church, decked out in head-to-toe black for the sombre affair.
As hundreds of mourners filled up the pews at St Monica’s Catholic Church in Moonee Ponds, Latorre’s flower-heaped casket was displayed at the front of the church, complete with a floral wreath and framed picture of Latorre.
A heart-shaped floral tribute was also placed at the front, spelling out ‘Nonno’ in red lettering, while hymns played in the background in both English and Italian.
Mourners gather outside St Monica’s Catholic Church in Moonee Ponds as family members walk outside holding a picture of Latorre following the service
Sources believe that Melbourne fruiterer John Latorre (pictured) was gunned down by a fly-in fly-out assassin on orders from high up in the Mafia
Mourners were dressed in all black as they farewelled Latorre, who was described as a ‘man of honour’ at the service
Mr Latorre is reported to have been a discreet but influential member of the n arm of the ‘Ndrangheta’ – a powerful Mafia organisation from Calabria, southern Italy.
Latorre’s wife Maria and daughter Antoinette shared the roles of the Catholic death rites, including sprinkling the casket with water and lighting the memory candle.
Delivering the eulogy, Antoinette said her dad was a ‘pillar of strength’.
‘Latorre in Italian translates to ‘the tower’ and Dad, that’s what you’ll always be,’ she said.
‘My beautiful and amazing dad, I cannot fathom that you are no longer here with us – it was not your time to go.
‘I want you to know I tried everything I could that morning to help you. I was right by you as you are with me.
Sources claim the execution of the successful greengrocer outside his home (pictured) as he left for work was highly planned
Shocked friends and family rushed to the scene where John Latorre was gunned down in his Greenvale driveway last Tuesday morning
‘My courage and strength came from you that day – we will always remember you and say your name, you will never be forgotten.
‘You were a man of honour, respect and generosity. You taught us the importance of family. You told us we are strong and to hold our heads high.’
Latorre’s other daughter, Melina, broke down in tears when delivering her eulogy and said she had ‘never felt such pain’ and her heart was ‘broken beyond repair’.
‘You taught us the value of respecting our family and friends from such a young age, which I truly believe has become a part of who we are,’ she said.
‘You were a big softie deep down and would do anything for us.
‘Not a day will go by when we don’t look at your photo and talk to you.
‘How truly sorry I am that you have departed this earth so suddenly and not in your own or God’s time.
‘You didn’t deserve this.’
The church was packed for the 64-year-old who ran a market wholesale fruit business
John Latorre, the Melbourne underworld figure gunned down in his driveway, has been remembered by family at his funeral
Pallbearers carry out Mr Latorre’s ornate coffin from St Monica’s Cathedral
Father Joe Giacobbe gave the introduction to the mass and said in addition to formal tributes like eulogies, a clear tribute to Latorre was the sheer number of people attending the funeral.
‘If you want a tribute to the gentleman, look around,’ he said.
‘This is a pretty big church and it’s full, at probably twice its capacity.’
A second introduction and opening prayers were also said in Italian, including a series of Ave Maria thanksgiving prayers.
Latorre was a fruiterer who had been a stalwart at the Melbourne Markets in Epping.
At about 4.30am on March 12, he was peppered with gunshots to the upper body in the driveway of his Greenvale home as he left for work.
Instantly killed, his bloodied body was discovered shortly after by a horrified family member.
John Latorre’s daughter Antoinette revealed she was the family member who found his body, telling mourners she did ‘everything I could’ to save him
A heart with the word Nonno was carried out by younger family members
Father Joe Giacobbe told those in attendance to ‘look around’ at how full the church was if they ‘wanted a tribute to the gentlemen’
The Herald Sun previously reported Latorre’s murder contract would have needed the go-ahead from the mafia’s top kingpins, suggesting it may have been a fly-in-fly-out type of job.
Multiple sources confirmed to the same masthead that there was no way the murder of someone as high-status as Latorre could have happened without sanction from the bosses at the Honoured Society.
Detectives are piecing together the circumstances surrounding the hit job and continue to appeal for any information relating to the murder.
It is understood a small motorcycle was the getaway vehicle for the murderer, with police intelligence suggesting the bike that ‘made a loud noise’ was seen near Latorre’s Buchanan Place home around the time of the killing.
Police continue to investigate any organised crime links in the shooting.
Noone has been charged in relation to his death and police are still searching for his killer.