Christopher Dale Flannery, nicknamed "Mr Rent-a-Kill" (born 1948 – disappeared 9 May 1985[1]) is alleged to have been an Australian contract killer.
Growing up in a working-class background in a culture that was suspicious of police, after leaving Melbourne he entered a life of crime and gang warfare that ended with his disappearance.
At 17, he was convicted of housebreaking, auto theft, assault against police, carrying firearms and rape, and was sentenced to seven years imprisonment.
[citation needed] On his release from prison, Flannery became a bouncer at Mickey's Disco, a night club in St Kilda, but was quickly bored by the work and moved into contract killing, hence the moniker "Mr Rent-A-Kill".
In August 1980, Flannery, Mark Alfred Clarkson and Kevin John Henry "Weary" Williams were arrested and charged with Wilson's murder.
[4] His body was never found but police alleged that the trio had forced him off the road, abducted him and taken him to Pakenham, where Flannery shot him.
However, he was provided with a medical certificate by Geoffrey Edelsten certifying that he was unfit for trial in order to avoid Flannery being tried by a particular judge.
Smith claims that Flannery became paranoid and "was running around shooting at anyone he thought had anything to do with [Barry McCann] or Tom Domican".
"[3]: 169 On 6 June 1984, Flannery is alleged to have been the gunman in the attempted murder of a Sydney Drug Squad detective, Michael Drury.
Drury had been the undercover agent involved in a police drug operation which resulted in charges being laid against Flannery's friend, Alan Williams.
[2] As Flannery and his wife walked towards their house on 27 January 1985, the residence was sprayed with thirty shots from an Armalite rifle.
He had been shot six times in the back outside the Airport Hilton in North Arncliffe and was lying beside his gold Mercedes, bleeding profusely.