This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost Australia, which closed in 2021.

Gino And Mark Stocco Plead Guilty To NSW Murder

The modern day bushrangers have appeared in court at Dubbo.

Father and son fugitives Gino and Mark Stocco, who were involved in a dramatic shootout with police last year, have pleaded guilty to murder.

The pair evaded police for years before leading authorities on a two-week search in central western NSW in October, which was sparked after they shot at police near Wagga Wagga.

Police tracked the pair to a rural property at Elong Elong, outside of Dubbo, and arrested the fugitives after surrounding the premises.

Soon after taking down the pair, police found the body of the property's caretaker, Rosario Cimone, 68.

The Stoccos were subsequently charged with a numerous offences, including murder, police pursuit and attempted murder.

The pair pleaded guilty to the charges in Dubbo local court on Wednesday, Fairfax Media reports.

The sentencing process will reportedly begin in the NSW Supreme Court later this year.

They managed to avoid capture for 2 weeks after the shoot-out with cops by stealing cars and petrol, stealing and swapping multiple licence plates, changing their appearances and staying on the move.

The father and son had been wanted for years in relation to a number of violent crimes across rural Australia, allegedly robbing or vandalising a string of properties.

Close
This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost Australia. Certain site features have been disabled. If you have questions or concerns, please check our FAQ or contact support@huffpost.com.