CCTV captures sword murder of David Dick at Melbourne shopping centre

The horrific murder of a man in a Melbourne shopping centre car park last Friday was captured on CCTV.

Detectives have watched the graphic footage of the brutal killing and say David Dick, 36, was murdered with a "long-edged" swordlike weapon.

Police believe carpenter Dick, who had a long criminal history, was targeted as the suspected killer was also captured on CCTV at the exact same spot at the same time the day before.

Dick's distraught mother, brother and uncle paid tribute to a "fun-loving and magical" man with a "huge personality".

Investigators have released clear images of the suspected murderer at the centre the day before and are confident somebody will recognise him.

Police would like to speak to this man after the vicious murder of David Dick, inset.

Dick was attacked at the Westfield Doncaster shopping centre about 6.10am last Friday.

He walked through the shopping centre the same time every day to catch a bus to work.

A fitness instructor found Dick with horrific injuries near a lift lobby. He died shortly after.

Homicide squad head Detective Inspector Michael Hughes said: "CCTV footage indicates the person loitering on the Thursday is the person who attacked David.

"There is no known motive for the attack.

"It was vicious. This man was waiting for David."

Police believe the attacker was also injured after forensic experts found a 150m blood trail leading away from the scene.

Dick's mother, Carol Cloke, broke down in tears as she described the shock of losing her son.

"My son has been murdered, viciously," she said.

"[He] was the most beautiful, fun-loving, magical person.

"He played football and cricket in Melbourne. I will never see him again."

John Hird, Dick's uncle, said: "No human being deserves to be treated like that.

"It is wrong. I'm not saying David was an angel but nobody deserves this."

Dick served almost nine months in prison and received a three-year community corrections order for a January 2014 burglary of an Officeworks store in Sydney Rd, Campbellfield.

Police found a small silver handgun loaded with seven rounds of .22 calibre ammunition in a magazine at a Mitcham unit where Dick was living, along with a shopping list of expensive electronic equipment targeted in the burglary.

A small rock of methamphetamine and cannabis inside a zip-lock bag were found in the house and a tablet of anxiety-disorder drug Xanax was in Dick's pocket following his arrest.

Dick's criminal record included seven court appearances spanning 16 years.

The man police want to speak to is described as Caucasian, aged in his 30s, about 176cm tall with a solid build and mousy brown hair.

Speaking about the murder weapon, which is yet to be recovered, Insp Hughes said: "It is a long, edged weapon.

"It is an unusual weapon. We think he is carrying it in some sort of equipment bag, obviously to conceal it.

"It is that sort of shape, yeah [a sword]."

Hughes said the time the suspect spent watching Dick shows it is highly likely the killing was targeted.

"I think on the Thursday he is probably intending to attack David," Hughes said.

"He had everything with him on the Thursday he had with him when he attacked David on the Friday.

"It is a targeted attack so there will be a connection. Whether they were actually known to
each other we don't know.

"You don't spend time watching someone. This is not a random attack in a shopping centre."