An underworld figure who vanished from his home on Halloween six years ago is now believed to have been lured to his death by someone he knew and trusted.
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New information has come to detectives as they close in on those responsible for the suspected murder of Unanderra man Goran Nikolovksi, last seen on October 31, 2011.
Nikolovski's silver Honda Accord was found burnt out in bushland halfway up Macquarie Pass the next day.
Since then he has not been seen, his bank accounts have not been accessed and detectives believe he was murdered.
His death was one of three brazen killings in Wollongong's southern suburbs between September 2011 and April 2012 involving Balkan crime figures.
Six years on, homicide detectives working with Wollongong police believe Nikolovski was lured from his home that Monday night by close associates or those who he would have trusted.
"We are keen to speak with anyone who was in the area near Mr Nikolovski's Unanderra home the night he disappeared," Detective Chief Inspector David Laidlaw said.
"Given he was last seen on Halloween 2011, we believe there may be people who saw something while out and about and don't realise they know something.”
Nikolovksi's disappearance came just over a month after his former associate Saso Ristevski was executed in front of his family in his parents' Lake Heights home.
Risteveki was confronted when a group of men stormed the home who police allege were intending to rob the 37-year-old but instead shot him dead.
Nikolovksi and Ristevski had previously served jail time after the pair were caught by police with a large quantity of cocaine in 2004.
Their relationship soured and they had been in conflict after Risteveski gave evidence against Nikolovski during their subsequent trial.
Despite underworld speculation at the time of Risteveski‘s death, police do not believe Nikolovski was involved in his ex-associate's murder.
Then in April 2012, Darko Janceski, 32, was gunned down in the front yard of his home at Berkeley.
The deaths of all three men have been investigated by Strike Force Calligan.
In 2013, police claimed Janceski's death was payback for the murder of Nikolovski.
They alleged Nikolovski had links with the Comancheros, while Janceski was a disenfranchised member. However they said the motorcycle gang had not been involved in the death of Janceski.
The police arrested Matthew Paul Wiggins, who is accused of murdering Janceski. Wiggins is awaiting trial after pleading not guilty. Robert Nikolovski, Goran’s brother, has also been charged with being an accessory before the fact to murder.
