Accused Hamilton brothers 'grew up with' slain ex-biker

Two brothers and the ex-Hells Angels member they are accused of murdering all grew up together, a police detective said.

John, 50, and Mato 'Michael', 47, Josipovic were arrested Monday around 12:30 p.m. Police said in a release that search warrants were executed at the brothers'adjacent homes in Grimsby. John was arrested at home and Michael was arrested at his workplace in Milton.

The brothers were formally charged with first-degree murder at Hamilton court Tuesday. They appeared separately Mato in the morning with his lawyer, Steve Kim, and John in the afternoon with his lawyer Micheal O'Brien.

James 'Louis' Malone was shot in the head in the early hours of Nov. 9 in the east end, near Robins Avenue and Cannon Street East. Malone was found on the sidewalk on Kenilworth Avenue North, near Britannia Avenue.

Lead Hamilton Police detective Peter Thom told reporters the Josipovic brothers and Malone grew up in the east end.

We got on to them fairly soon and weve just been working the case, Thom said in a scrum outside the Hamilton courthouse.

Mato Michael Josipovic appeared in a Hamilton courtroom Tuesday morning. He wore a navy Harley Davidson shirt underneath a navy hooded sweatshirt and dark pants. Mato is tall with an average build. He has short, dark hair and has a moustache and a goatee beard. He was shackled at the ankles.

Mato looked calm when his first-degree murder charged was read to him. He spoke only when spoken to first to acknowledge he understands the charge and again to agree to his next court appearance.

His older brother John appeared later in the day, wearing what appeared to be a black and grey motorcycle jacket and bluejeans. He is also tall, with a slightly heavier build than his younger brother. John has medium brown hair with a scruffy moustache. He was also shackled at the ankles.

John didn't say a word in front of court, but rather nodded to acknowledge the justice of the peace. Lawyer O'Brien spoke on his behalf.

There is a long list of people both Mato and John not permitted contact with, however a publication ban prohibits media from publishing those details.

Mato will appear again in Hamilton court Nov. 20 via video link.

Thom said Mato was not known to police prior to his arrest. John was known to police several years ago, he said.

Malone was formerly a member of the local Hell's Angels motorcycle gang. He was known to police.

Thom said an incident between three men happened before the shooting in the Delta neighbourhood- more than a dozen blocks west of where the killing took place. That iswhere police are now focusing their investigation.

Thom would not comment on whether the Josipovics have or had a connection with Hells Angels or any other organized motorcycle gang.

Help from citizens

In announcing the arrests, Police credit the willingness of people from the area to help with the investigation and of local businesses for provide video footage.

"Anumber of civic minded citizens have come forward and provided eye-witness accountsabout the incident. Localbusinesses and organizations have also provided hours of surveillance footage which has proved invaluable in thesolving of this very public andbrazen murder," police said in a press release.

Despite that, investigators say they still want to speak to people who were in the Delta area ofKensington Ave North and MainSt. East around the time of the shooting.

We know there is more information out there, Thom said.

They arelooking for people who were atMain Billiards,located at 1101Main Street East, between midnight and 1a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 9. Police indicate thealtercation between threemales wasat that location.

Targeted shooting

Policehave said previously thatthe shooting was targeted. Malones killers chased him through the neighbourhood, Thom previously told CBC Hamilton, and then sped away in a pickup truck while the 49-year-old lay bleeding on the sidewalk.

Related: Victim in Hamilton shooting was ex-Hells Angels: police

Police have beenlooking for two men who fled the crime scene in a grey Dodge Ram.

In a release last week, investigators outlined howthe crime played out throughneighbourhood streets.

The first attack came atRobins Ave and Cannon Street. This is where Malone was walking his dogs when first approached by a gunman carrying a shotgun.

The gunman fired at Malone, with the blast hitting the front door of a Robins Avenue home.

Malone ran east on Cannon St, as the gunman chased him and he wasfollowed by a second man driving a grey, Dodge Ram pick-up truck.

The second attack cameat the northwest corner of Britannia Ave andKenilworth, a block east and a block north, where witnesses reported further shots being fired at Mr. Malone.

The third and fatal scene was outside of 225KenilworthAve North, another block north. Here, he was shot at close range and this is where his body was found.Two store windows in the area were shot out.

The gunmen took off southbound in the truck to Britannia and drove westbound.