Vendetta suspected in Sliema double murder

Police believe that the two men killed inside their Sliema home may have been the victims of a personal vendetta, according to media reports.

Christian Pandolfino, 58, and Ivor Maciejowski, 30, were shot inside their house on Tuesday night.

But what may have initially appeared as a robbery gone horribly wrong, could possibly have been a vendetta of sorts.

Christian Pandolfino (left) and Ivor Maciejowski (right)

State news broadcaster TVM reports that investigators are following the theory that the murder, which was completed in four minutes, had nothing to do with theft.

Pandolfino, a former investment banker, and Maciejowski, an art dealer, had many works of art and gold at home. Police are trying to draw up an inventory of the items to determine whether anything went missing.

Pandolfino was found dead on the bottom floor, while Maciejowski was killed upstairs.

The house on Locker Street where the couple were murdered

CCTV footage showed three men entering the house behind Pandolfino, and emerging four minutes later.

Pandolfino had been out eating with his sister and her children, when he returned back home alone.

Six shots were fired and police sources said a 9mm calibre weapon was used.

TVM reports that the car with which the killers used to flee from the scene of the crime was a white Volkswagen SUV that was stolen two years ago. The number plates on the car were also stolen some time before from a car parked in Paceville.

Other media reports say the getaway car was a Tiguan.

The motive for the murder is not yet known but police are believed to be looking at the couple’s social and commercial links to determine whether someone may have wanted to eliminate them.

Police are not excluding the murder was commissioned by a third party.