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Two Kings Cross identities associated with the infamous Love Machine strip club have been arrested in connection with the alleged murder of a man at hotel in Sydney's CBD last year.
Donovan Mileham, 44, was allegedly shot in the leg and left to die on the floor of a luxury suite of the five-star Fraser Suite apartments on Kent Street. His body was discovered by cleaners just before 7am on Monday November 16, three days after he had checked into the hotel with a group of friends. Drug paraphernalia was found by detectives inside the room.
Among those friends were Elias Dimarelis, 31, and Rebel-Anne King, 33, who were arrested around 2.15pm on Tuesday and charged with accessory to his murder after the fact.
Mr Dimarelis is understood to have worked in a managerial capacity at the Love Machine, and the pair were regularly seen together at the club. His involvement with the strip club – which is part-owned by the one-time "King of the Cross" Bill Bayeh – is believed to have been terminated shortly after Mr Mileham's death.
Their arrests follow that of Hasan Fazlilar, 30, who was charged with Mr Mileham's murder in December last year.
Mr Mileham, Mr Fazlilar, Mr Dimarelis and Ms King were seen partying together at the Love Machine on November 13, the Friday night before Mr Mileham died.
"They were partying up there the night that it happened," said Debbie, who works at Love Machine and requested her surname be withheld for protection.
"Everything seemed fine. I wasn't really in their crowd that night ... they were out in the smoking area, just partying."
Debbie, who was close friends with Mr Mileham, said he had known the pair for a number of months and had only met Mr Fazlilar for the first time that evening.
She said the group made plans to continue partying back in the hotel suite, adding "anywhere there's a party Donovan will go."
It is understood the room was booked under Mr Mileham's name and the group shared at least two swipe card keys between them, arriving at different times at the hotel between Friday night and Saturday morning. It is not known when exactly Mr Mileham died but it is believed CCTV footage captured numerous people coming and going from the room over the course of the weekend.
Bronwyn Tyson, Mr Mileham's best friend of almost two decades, said he survived paycheck to paycheck and there was "no way" he could have afforded the $600 a night room that was booked under his name.
"It was only booked in his name, he didn't pay for it or anything like that."
It is understood the group originally planned to check out on Sunday, but the room was extended for another night. The extended night was then cancelled on Sunday.
Debbie, who has been interviewed several times by police, said Mr Dimarelis and Ms King returned to the Love Machine in the days after Donovan's death and continued to party there on a regular basis until their arrests.
"I have faith that the truth will prevail. I'm hoping," she said.
Mr Dimarelis and Ms King were formally refused bail in Sutherland Local Court on Wednesday. They will return to court on February 11.
