A Maribyrnong man has been sentenced to 21 years for murder and drugs offences.
Matthew Lowe, 24, was sentenced in the Supreme Court on October 27 for the murder of “ice cook” Yengo Faugere and for trafficking drugs.
Lowe, an electrician turned pilot for a major drug syndicate, was involved in the manufacturing and selling of methamphetamine between October, 2011, and February, 2012.
Mr Faugere was killed after being recruited to cook methamphetamine at a drug laboratory in Canterbury.
A real estate agent discovered the laboratory on a visit to the property after rent had not been paid. Police removed the drugs.
The court heard that the drug syndicate’s leader believed Mr Faugere had stolen the drugs, had attempted to cover up the theft and was planning to produce his own ice.
He had developed a joint criminal enterprise with Lowe and others to kill Mr Faugere.
Although there wasn’t sufficient evidence linking Lowe to the murder of Mr Faugere, the jury found him guilty of being involved in a plan to kill him.
Justice Cameron Macaulay said the whole enterprise depended on participation of each member in performing their task.
“You [Lowe] joined in the enterprise to kill or cause really serious injury to Faugere, and he was killed, and his body was callously and atrociously dismembered by your partners in the enterprise,” he said.
“With the others, you share in the full responsibility for the outcome.”
The court heard Lowe was the syndicate leader’s “side-kick” and driver and had assisted in numerous drug operations from October, 2011.
Justice Macaulay said Lowe associated with the drug leader in the movement of laboratories as a result of concern about detection.
Matthew Lowe has been sentenced to 21 years and eight months’ imprisonment.
He will serve a fixed period of 16 years before being eligible for parole.
