Mongols bikie Josh Rider murdered Paul Virgona 22 days after claiming love had ... trends now
A Mongols enforcer promised a judge he would leave behind a life of violent crime 22 days before murdering a fruiterer in a bungled hit on the way to work, a court has heard.
Josh Rider, along with co-accused Aaron Ong, fired a hail of 11 bullets into the van of Paul Virgona, killing the father of two, on Melbourne's EastLink freeway in November 2019.
Mr Virgona, 46, died from blood loss on the freeway after being hit by seven bullets from a semi-automatic handgun, with evidence pointing to Rider being the shooter.
But just three weeks earlier, Rider, now 32, told a judge presiding over a case in which he brutally bashed a St Kilda man that he had changed after finding love with a glamour model.
Josh Rider, along with co-accused Aaron Ong, fired a hail of 11 bullets into the van of Paul Virgona, killing the father of two, on Melbourne's EastLink freeway in November 2019
Three weeks before he murdered Mr Virgona, Mongols enforcer Rider claimed in a court case for a brutal assault that his relationship with Melbourne model Chloe Damiani had given him new direction in life. Pictured, Rider with Ms Damiani
Rider claimed his relationship with Melbourne model Chloe Damiani, which commenced in 2017, had given him new direction in life, the Herald-Sun reported.
A letter provided to the County Court over the bashing claimed Rider had experienced 'wholesale' personality transformation in the time he was dating Ms Damiani.
The loved-up pair are depicted in a series of photos on her social media accounts, including one at a party, alongside two cakes in the shape of Mongol biker vests, with the words 'Happy Birthday Josh, Love the Mongol nation'.
Ms Damiani described Rider, who pleaded guilty to the 'reckless murder' of Mr Virgona, 'my ride or die' (Pictured, Ms Damiani with Rider)
The vehicle Paul Virgona was in when he was shot seven times by Ong and Rider
With the post, Ms Damiani described Rider
