Encased in a gold casket, Sam "The Punisher" Abdulrahim has been farewelled by mourners, as detectives plead for his family and friends to co-operate with their murder investigation.
Abdulrahim, 32, previously survived at least half a dozen attempts on his life, but on Monday his luck ran out and he was slain in broad daylight in a Preston hotel car park in Melbourne's northeast in front of his girlfriend.
The service for the bikie-turned-boxer was held at Alawi Islamic Association on Thursday morning.
"Taken too soon, Sam was a man full of life, he was loved by all and his smile would always light up the room," his funeral notice read.
"A loving father, son, brother, uncle, nephew, cousin, partner and friend. He will be dearly missed, but never forgotten."
Following the service, the coffin was draped in a green cloth and placed back in a hearse to be driven to Northern Memorial Park for burial.
The road near the service was closed for a procession led by a portrait of Abdulrahim, followed by motorbikes, four men carrying flower arrangements that spelt out the nickname "Suna" and the hearse.
Police were parked across the road, keeping watch, and Homicide Detective Dean Thomas reiterated officers were being mindful and respectful of the families, friends and loved ones dealing with grief.
"I respect that the funeral is today, but to Sam's family, friends and associates, I ask that they work with us and provide us with any information they have so that we can identify those responsible," Det Insp Thomas said on Thursday.
"Retaliation, tit-for-tat type behaviour really doesn't achieve much, but there is nothing at this point to suggest that that will be the case."
The investigation into his shooting is continuing with homicide detectives examining two burnt-out cars. A Porsche SUV was found burnt out at Reservoir an hour after the shooting.
A grey Ford Ranger with a distinctive sticker of bull horns on the ute's canopy rear window was found at Westmeadows and was also set ablaze, police confirmed on Wednesday.
Abdulrahim was shot in 2022, attacked with a rock in prison in 2019, shot at again in 2024 and was put back in prison at one point because police feared he was the target of three shooting incidents.
The attempts started from the belief he was connected to the killing of another gangland figure in 2016.
Detectives on Thursday released CCTV footage of a dark grey Ford Ranger in relation to a separate investigation into the fatal shooting of 34-year-old Wallan man Jason Filippi six months ago.
Filippi travelled in a Suzuki Swift to Burnside Heights in Melbourne's northwest on August 2 to meet with a friend or associates travelling in the Ford, Det Insp Thomas said.
"There's been some form of confrontation between the two vehicles, and at a point in time shots have been fired from the Ford Ranger into the rear of the Suzuki Swift and Jason Filippi has been hit and sadly passed away," he said.
The victim's family remains very distraught six months on from the shooting, the detective said.
