CLOSING IN ON KILLERS
Police confident list will lead to breakthrough within days
POLICE have a list of people they believe know who killed notorious bikie Shane Bowden – and are hoping for a breakthrough this weekend. Almost a week after the Finks gangland heavy was murdered execution-style in the driveway of his Pimpama unit, police say they are zeroing in on his killers. They are piecing together Bowden’s movements but believe he had only been staying at the unit for two weeks.
POLICE have a list of people they believe know who killed notorious bikie Shane Bowden – and are hoping for a breakthrough this weekend.
Almost a week after the Finks gangland heavy was murdered execution-style in the driveway of his Pimpama unit, police say they are zeroing in on his killers.
Asked if the search for the two hooded men who shot Bowden at point-blank range about 12.10am on Monday was still restricted to the Gold Coast, Detective Superintendent Brendan Smith said: “I don’t want to say where some of those inquiries are because we don’t want the offenders, well, potential persons of interest – the last thing is I don’t want them to have what we know.
“We have a number of inquiries happening and, touch wood, things go to plan, I will have more to say on Monday.”
Police made a public call on Friday afternoon for dashcam and CCTV footage from the Cox or Yawalpah roads area in Pimpama between October 5 and 12.
It is believed that footage could help police piece together a timeline leading up to Bowden’s execution.
Bowden, 47, had gone to the gym before his death and is understood to have been staying at the Pimpama unit for about two weeks.
In the past week it has been revealed:
• Bowden was living with Crystal Clement, the former partner of convicted drug kingpin Joshua Thornbury. Clement had previously avoided jail for her role in a fake rego scam linked to a criminal network run by her abusive ex-boyfriend. Neither Clement nor Thornbury are suspected of involvement in the shooting.
• Bowden had been rocked by a family crisis just weeks before being shot dead.
• Two hooded man lay in wait in a vacant lot in the hours leading up to his murder.
• Police believe the killing may be related to an internal feud with the Mongols in Victoria.
Police are still sorting through evidence, with more than 60 detectives working the case.
“We are not limiting ourselves to bikies. We are talking to anyone who might have information or potential information,” Det Supt Smith said.
The motive for Bowden’s murder is still unclear.
“We certainly think it is related to his outlaw motorcycle life,” Det Supt Smith said.
“He has a lot of enemies and it could be one of many things.”
Police are still trying to piece together his movements.
They are also waiting on the return of DNA evidence from cigarette butts found in the area but that is expected to take some time.
Police are also looking into leads relating to burntout cars which were found near the home.
Bowden was a notorious member of the Finks bikie gang and was involved in the Ballroom Blitz, a wild brawl that erupted at a kickboxing tournament at the Royal Pines Resort between Finks and Hells Angels gang members in 2006.
He was a long-time member of the Finks before patching over the Mongols.
Bowden had recently returned to the Finks and is understood to have been recruiting for members in southeast Queensland in the weeks before his death.
This month Bowden was fined $750 for making false statements on a border pass when travelling from Victoria to Queensland at the end of August. He exited quarantine from the Voco hotel in Surfers with a heavy police presence.