Sliema double murder: Witnesses describe hearing gun shots, car speeding off moments after botched burglary

Police officers, family members and key witnesses continued testifying in the third day of the jury trial into the murder of Christian Pandolfino and his partner Ivor Maciejewski.

Daniel Muka and Viktor Dragomanski are on trial for the murders of Christian Pandolfino and Ivor Maciejowski, who were shot dead inside their home in Locker Street on 18 August 2020.

Pandolfino, 58, died at the scene after being shot five times in the upper body and neck. His 30-year-old partner, Maciejowski, was killed by a single gunshot to the face. 

A third accomplice, Jesper Kristiansen, pleaded guilty to the charges in February 2024 in exchange for a 40-year prison sentence. He testified against Muka and Dragomanski, describing the murder as a botched robbery.

Testifying on Wednesday, former Sergeant Valerie Mifsud, who was stationed at the Sliema Police Station at the time, testified that police were alerted by a resident of Locker Street who reported hearing gunshots. Officers responded to the scene and found the victims’ residence door closed. It was forced open with two swift kicks.

Earlier on Wednesday, jurors were taken to the site of the murder. All corners of the block were closed off to the public. Anyone who needed to pass through the area was being escorted by police through the scene. Journalists were also limited to a designated area.

People passing through Locker Street had to be escorted by police during the site visit (Photo: Juliana Zammit/MaltaToday)

Victims found dead by police officers

Inside, they discovered Pandolfino lying face down in a pool of blood with a golden cross nearby. Witnesses, including his uncle Alfred Debono, reported seeing three masked men fleeing the area. One of them was carrying a small basket. The suspects left in a white vehicle, triggering a search operation by law enforcement.

Additional witness accounts confirmed Pandolfino left a family meal approximately 20 minutes before the rest of the group.

Sergeant Luke Stivala recounted arriving at the scene after receiving a radio call around 10:30pm. Reporting that he was in close proximity, he rushed to the residence and encountered Pandolfino’s sister outside. She informed him she had been trying to reach her brother to no avail but believed he was inside.

After receiving permission, Sergeant Stivala forced the door open and found Pandolfino dead on the ground floor with two bullet casings nearby. He then searched the property and found a second victim—later identified as Ivor Maciejowski—on the first floor, with a single gunshot wound to the head.

Another responding officer, Sergeant Clayton Azzopardi, corroborated the sequence of events. He described the layout of the crime scene, noting drawers pulled out in the upstairs bedroom and shell casings scattered around the stairs and floors. He directed paramedics to avoid disturbing key evidence.

Police vans and prison guards were on site during the jury visit to the Sliema crime scene (Photo: Juliana Zammit/MaltaToday)

Christopher Gauci, a Sliema resident, gave testimony also. He stated while watching a football game and smoking on his roof, he saw a white vehicle arrive. Two individuals exited the car, both dressed in black, one wearing a cap. He reported hearing banging on a door followed by five gunshots. Shortly after, he saw the two men re-enter the car.

Then, a third individual, who had remained inside, briefly exited and returned to the residence together with the other two before all three fled the scene together. Gauci claimed one appeared to be carrying a bag.

Under cross-examination by defence lawyer Alex Scerri Herrera, Gauci confirmed he could not identify from which part of the vehicle the third individual emerged.

Alfred Debono, Pandolfino’s uncle, testified he was watching television when he heard a loud noise. Upon investigating, he saw a man walking toward his nephew’s house.

He assumed Christian was not home, as he had planned to dine with family that evening. Moments later, he learned from neighbours that gunshots had been fired.

Debono observed the suspects’ white vehicle blocking three parked cars. Under questioning from jurors, he clarified that the car was parked sideways in front of a neighbour’s property.

Paula Pandolfino, Christian’s sister, makes emotional testimony

Also testifying on Wednesday, Paula Pandolfino, one of the victim’s sister, said she had been visiting from London and was staying with her brother in Malta.

That night was her last before returning home. She recounted how the family had gone out for dinner, and Christian had returned home earlier, using a quadbike.

Moments later, neighbours informed them of the shooting. Paula described the horror of the moment police forced open the door and urged the family to stay back.

Describing her brother as a “theatrical, kind-hearted, genius”, she said he was a brother and father figure for her. When asked by one of the jurors about the gold the victims wore, she said the couple never felt threatened for openly wearing gold jewellery.

Her brother Pippo Pandolfino echoed these sentiments.

He described Chris as brilliant and academically gifted. He arrived at the scene shortly after being notified of the incident and recounted the devastating moment when paramedics confirmed his brother was dead. “He was just with us half an hour before,” he said.

Two doctors from Mater Dei Hospital also testified. The first, a pre-hospital emergency specialist, confirmed arriving on scene at 10:03pm and found Christian Pandolfino already lifeless with a gunshot wound to the head.

The second doctor arrived minutes later and was assigned to the second victim, Ivor. He likewise confirmed death on site due to a gunshot wound.

Under cross-examination, when asked if it was the gunshots that killed them, both doctors stated their primary task was to confirm death, not conduct forensic examinations.

Dragomanski is being defended by lawyers José Herrera and Alexander Scerri Herrera. The victims’ families are represented by lawyers Joe Giglio and Michaela Giglio. The prosecution is led by lawyers Kevin Valletta and Maria Francesca Spiteri from the Attorney General's office.