Hilel Merhi, shot DEAD.

Hilel Merhi was shot dead like a gangland killing

By Adam Walters and Chelsea White
The Daily Telegraph
April 27, 2009 12:00am

GANG life was the theme of his MySpace page and "gangland" would be the style of Hilel Merhi's death at a friend's 21st party.

He was shot several times from close range with a handgun after two hooded men crashed the party at Merrylands.

Gallery: Scenes from the birthday party


Birthday girl Tania Merhi, who was not related to the victim, was among the stunned witnesses.

One said: "Three guys just walked in and shot him on the dance floor."

A woman who was among the 100 guests said there didn't appear to be any argument.

"They just shot him and ran out before everyone started screaming," she said.

The victim, 26, described himself on his MySpace page as a "straight, single and athletic hustler, earning $250,000 a year".

The opening screen is adorned with a sinister illustration of a pistol and a hotted-up car under the title of Gang Life.

He painted a picture of a young man in a hurry, updating his mood status on April 21 to "impatient".

Neighbours thought they were hearing fireworks when the gunshots echoed through Davies St late on Saturday night.

Those at the party said it was a mix of invited guests and gatecrashers.

One of the partygoers, who didn't want to be identified, said the victim had no chance.

"I just saw him lying there with holes in his upper body. He wasn't moving and it seemed to take forever for the ambulance to arrive," the witness said.

"The cops actually beat the ambulance here but there was nothing they could do."

Some of the party's guests attempted CPR but Hilel was later pronounced dead on arrival at Westmead Hospital.

"I'm so devastated. What's this world coming to? May God forgive his bad doing," friend Lexy Saleh said.

Neighbours said Tania's grandfather, who raised her from a young age, went to extraordinary lengths to ensure the safety of guests, hiring their own security for the party.