The body of 59-year-old Federico del Peschio was found a parking lot in Ahuntsic after he was fatally shot in broad daylight on Friday morning.
Witnesses say a gunman shot the victim point blank in the back behind La Cantina restaurant at the corner of St. Laurent and Legendre around 11:30 a.m.
The shooter fled and is still at large.
The victim, who was found next to his silver four-door Mercedes, was transported to hospital where he was declared dead shortly after.
Witnesses say they saw a man running south on St. Laurent shortly after the bullets were fired.
"The guy had on a mask, hat and clothes that were gang-related, baggy clothes," said one witness who did not wish to be identified. "I never seen someone run so fast."
Police say the victim was linked to organized crime. He served 30 months in prison for drug trafficking in the 1970s.
Del Peschio was arrested in Venezuela in 1988 on cocaine charges, along with Nicolo Rizzuto, father of Vito Rizzuto, father of the reputed head of the Montreal Mafia, and three other men.
"We don't know yet if it was related to organized crime," said Montreal police Const. Anie Lemieux. "It does appear to be an event related to organized crime."
Second shooting?
Montreal police are also investigating what they're calling a suspicious death on Nun's island.
Officers were called to a home at 500 Francois Street around 7:45 Friday morning and found a body that had bullet wounds.
The victim is 53 years old.
Police don't have any suspects.
