Pools of blood, ransacked rooms: Police inspector describes double murder scene

The police inspector who led the investigation into the double murder of Christian Pandolfino and Ivor Maciejowski inside their Sliema home in 2020 has recounted attending the grisly scene and tracing the getaway route used by the accused.

He recalled how the two victims had been found in pools of blood on separate floors of the house, Maciejowski shot once in his forehead while Pandolfino was shot five times.

Rooms had been ransacked, while one of the bodies showed signs of having been looted for jewellery.

Meanwhile, witness accounts provided to police indicated that three suspicious looking men had entered the property wearing wigs and surgical masks shortly before sounds of commotion and suspected gunfire rang out in the Sliema street.

Police inspector Colin Sheldon was testifying in the trial of Daniel Muka, 30, and Viktor Dragomanski over their alleged involvement in the double murder five years ago.

A third man, Jesper Kristiansen, was jailed for 40 years last year after admitting his guilt as part of a plea-bargaining deal.

The police inspector recounted receiving a call on the evening of the murders at around 10:50pm from a police sergeant at the Sliema police station, where he was stationed, informing him that two individuals had been killed at a residence on Locker Street.

Sheldon was at the scene within 10 minutes, where he found the street and residence already cordoned off.

The police sergeant told him that two phone calls had been made to the Sliema police station, one of which came through the emergency number.

A person living opposite the victims’ house, Pandolfino’s uncle, called the police after seeing suspicious individuals entering the victims’ house and hearing some noise followed by possible gunshots.

He told officers that two of the suspicious individuals were wearing dark coloured clothes, while the third was wearing lightly coloured clothes. Two of the men were tall and the other was “short and chubby”, Pandolfino’s uncle said.

The second phone call, made by the victims’ neighbour, also reported a commotion at the property and the sounds of suspected gunshots.

Both witnesses told police they had seen the three suspicious individuals making their way to a white Volkswagen Tiguan, with the sergeant calling the Rapid Intervention Unit and heading to the scene.

Sheldon arrived shortly afterwards.

Pools of blood

The police inspector recalled speaking to Pandolfino’s uncle and his sister, Paula, who told him she was in Malta on holiday and staying at the victims’ residence together with her children.

The night of the murder, the family ate together at a Sliema hotel, with victim Christian Pandolfino returning home on his quadbike while his sister and her children walked back along the promenade, stopping for ice cream on the way.

She told the police that her brother did not trust her with keys to his property and gave her permission for the officers to open the front door to the residence.

Christian Pandolfino and Ivor Maciejowski were shot dead at their home in Locker Street, Sliema on August 18, 2020.

The door swung open easily, revealing Pandolfino about a metre away from the entrance lying on the floor in a pool of blood. The remnants of a gold necklace hung from his neck where someone had tried to pull it away.

Ivor Maciejowski was found on the first floor near the staircase, also in a pool of blood. He was lying on his back, facing the ceiling. Sheldon said that Maciejowski was shot once in his forehead while Pandolfino was shot five times.

Some rooms inside the home had been ransacked.

It took forensic officers some seven hours to gather all evidence from the scene, Sheldon explained, adding that inquiring magistrate Ian Farrugia had appointed several experts.

Suspects arrive at victims’ house

Pandolfino’s uncle told the inspector he was on the roof smoking a cigarette when a white vehicle turned up and parked on Locker Street.

Two men – one tall and the other the “short and chubby” suspect - were seated in the front and emerged from the vehicle. One was wearing a wig while both had surgical face masks, the witness told the inspector.

There was nothing strange about the face masks, with the murder occurring at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sheldon added.

Daniel Muka (left) being escorted to court in 2020 and Viktor Dragomanski (photo from Facebook)

The men walked to the victims’ residence and the door opened shortly afterwards. The two suspects entered the house, there were some “strange” sounds and seconds later Kristiansen emerged and went to the vehicle. He returned to the house with Dragomanski, the witness said.

Sheldon then explained that court expert Martin Bajada was in charge of collecting and analysing CCTV footage, which the police used to identify the suspects’ vehicle and reconstruct its getaway route. Pandolfino’s uncle had also provided police with the vehicle’s number plate.

The getaway

Police established that the men left the scene in the Volkswagen Tiguan and eventually parked at a parking area further down from St Luke’s Hospital before making their way on foot to Junior College bus stop.

There, Kristiansen entered a coffee shop where he asked for the Wi-Fi password. He then called a cab, and all three men were taken from Msida to Sliema.

The police officers retraced the route taken by the Volkswagen Tiguan and went to the parking area where they found the vehicle. Inside, they found gold items, a handbag containing Paula Pandolfino’s business card, a wig and two imitation AK-47 automatic rifles.

They also found the number plates used for the car when the double murder took place, along with surgical masks and surgical gloves, among other items.

Forensic experts lifted DNA samples and fingerprints from the vehicle and from some of the items found inside.

Suspects identified

From the CCTV footage it also emerged that a bus had stopped by while the three men were waiting. The police obtained footage from the bus and got a closer shot of the three suspects.

From the still images obtained from the footage, one of the men was seen to have several visible tattoos. This led to Muka’s identification.

Sheldon explained how Muka was the first to be arrested and arraigned in court, followed by Dragomanski and finally Kristiansen, who had to be extradited from Spain.

A firearm, believed to be the murder weapon, was found on Muka upon his arrest, the inspector said.

Kristiansen hides his face as he is escorted to court to be arraigned in August 2020. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

When asked to identify the accused, Sheldon could only see Dragomanski in the courtroom. Madam Justice Natasha Galea Sciberras asked the deputy registrar to connect via videolink to the room where Muka was following the proceedings. Initially, only an empty bench was visible.

Muka then came into view wearing a pair of jeans and blue t-shirt. Sheldon subsequently identified him.

Legal aid lawyer Josette Sultana noted that in view of the circumstances she had no questions to ask the witness in cross-examination. Lawyer Alex Scerri Herrera cross-examined the witness before the sitting concluded. 

The trial continues on Wednesday morning.

Madam Justice Natasha Galea Sciberras is presiding.

AG lawyers Maria Francesca Spiteri and Kevin Valletta prosecuted.

Lawyers José Herrera and Alex Scerri Herrera appeared for Dragomanski. Legal aid lawyer Josette Sultana appeared for Muka. Lawyers Michaela and Joe Giglio appeared for the victims’ families.