Search for a killer

By Jena Carr

The family of a Lara man who was killed more than four years ago is calling on the public to help bring those involved to justice.

Scott Muston, 34, was shot in the hallway of a semi-rural property on Bacchus Marsh Road at 5.50pm on November 27, 2019. He was transported to Alfred Hospital but died the following day.

Mr Muston’s mother, sister and cousin spoke out for the first time since the incident in a Crime Stoppers Victoria podcast released on Tuesday, July 16.

In the ‘Breaking Down the Wall of Silence: The Hunt for Scott Muston’s Killer’ podcast, Mr Muston’s mother, Bozica Muston, said it had been a normal day with Scott playing with his niece.

Ms Muston said her son had left the house to visit a friend, promising that he would “be back in a minute”, when he was shot during an assault inside the house after multiple people arrived at the property in a vehicle.

“The police car pulled up and…I think they said, ‘there’s been an incident’, and all I can remember is that I started screaming, ‘not my son’,” she said.

“We lost Scott. Scott was taken from us four years ago. An investigation keeps coming to a dead end, and I want these people to be made accountable for what they’ve done for taking my son.

“I (now) don’t like going out in public. I don’t like being in crowds. I worry about it so much that I just can’t do it.”

Crime Stoppers chief executive Stella Smith said Scott’s case was a “solvable crime” as there had to be “someone out there” with information.

“There are believed to be people out there that have information about this crime, and if those people come forward, then it is a solvable crime,” she said.

“The information that police need is who pulled the trigger and to understand more about why the crime occurred and how to get an outcome for the family.

“It’s easy to see a crime sometimes and think that there is just the victim, and of course we want justice for Scott, but we also want justice for his family as they stay on as the victims of this crime.”

Anyone with information on Mr Muston’s murder should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit an online report through its website, and people can remain anonymous.

The family were not emotionally ready to speak with the Independent before this story was published.

Help is available through Lifeline on 13 11 14 and Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.