A former army sniper who shot dead rebel biker leader Nick Martin from 300 meters away is living a “pleasant, stress-free” life behind bars.
The murderer revealed that he feels better in prison than outside and that he spends his time watching television, playing on an Xbox and going to the gym.
His cell is filled with the smiling faces of his loved ones and he has painted a mural of a turtle on the prison wall with other inmates.
Martin, 51, was fatally shot in the chest on December 12, 2020, while watching a drag race with his family at Kwinana Motorplex in Perth.
The hitman, whose name is withheld for his own safety, will testify at the trial of David James Pye, the alleged mastermind of the murder, next month.
He reached a deal with prosecutors to testify at Pye’s trial in exchange for just 20 years in prison.
Despite having argued in court that he should be released even sooner, his life in the maximum security prison, who also cannot be identified, does not seem so bad.
“I am in the maximum security section of one of the state’s maximum security prisons,” he said in correspondence from his cell, seen by Daily Mail Australia.
The former army sniper who shot dead rebel biker leader Nick Martin from 300 meters away is living a “pleasant, stress-free” life behind bars.
Nick Martin (pictured) died in his wife Amanda’s arms as she attempted to give him CPR. His last words were: ‘Baby, they shot me’
‘But as bad as it sounds, it’s actually quite enjoyable and stress-free.
‘Because of the regular schedule and predictability of each day, my PTSD took a backseat and shortly after being here, I felt better than I had in a long time.
“It’s strict here and we’re limited to what we can do, but the guards are always fair to us, as long as we follow the rules, everyone is nice enough.”
The shooter described his single cell as “spacious, clean and comfortable” with his own TV and Xbox, and access to an extensive prison library.
“We even got to paint a mural in the exercise yard, so we put a turtle mural on the wall, which kept us busy for a week and now it’s got some color,” he said.
He said he and “the guys” trained “rain, hail or shine” in the prison gym, boxing, jumping, lifting weights and learning Brazilian jujitsu.
“We are a happy group and we support each other to eat well and train hard,” he said.
‘I’m the only one here with military training, so I always try to get the others in shape and teach them discipline so that they can end up leaving here better than when they arrived.
The killer detailed to Daily Mail Australia how he felt better in prison than outside, and occupied his time watching television, playing on an Xbox and going to the gym.
The shooter described his single cell as “spacious, clean and comfortable” with his own TV and Xbox, and access to an extensive prison library.
“Especially the younger guys, when they come in, I try to take them under my wing and make them feel fitter and stronger.”
The jail also has pool tables and ping pong tables when inmates feel like being less active.
The killer said his strict training regimen was part of a detailed plan to prepare for life in the real world when he is released.
“I need to preserve my body so that when I go out I’m still in good shape to make the most of my outdoor life, which is why I meditate and exercise every day without exception,” he said.
He is also trying to obtain a university degree in a bid to safeguard his future outside after his release, but complained that prison authorities could make it difficult for him.
“I’m not sure if prison will allow me to start a proper career so I’ll have to apply and I hope they let me as I would love to leave here with a master’s degree,” he said.
The killer said he wanted to study journalism, human biology or humanitarian aid and achieved high distinctions in a bridging course he had to take first.
Martin, 51, was fatally shot in the chest on December 12, 2020, while watching a drag race with his family at Kwinana Motorplex in Perth.
Chaos at the racecourse on December 12, 2020, after Martin was shot and killed
Even though his name and where he is imprisoned are being suppressed, the killer said it was not at his request and he didn’t care who knew.
“Everyone knows my identity,” he said at a court hearing in May.
“The suppression order only serves to remove my name from the media, so I do not object to any information.” The judge upheld the suppression anyway.
He has also written an autobiography, which police are keeping under lock and key at least until Pye’s trial is over.
Martin He died at the scene in front of hundreds of horrified families and children, including his own wife and stepdaughter.
After being hit, Martin told his wife Amanda, “Honey, I’ve been shot,” as she attempted to give him CPR before he died in her arms.
Another man, a convicted drug dealer and boyfriend of Martin’s stepdaughter, Ricky Chapman, was wounded in the shooting by the same bullet that killed Martin, and a bullet fragment was later recovered from his arm.
Judge Stephen Hall said the hitman would have faced 30 years in prison if he had not reached a deal with prosecutors. He will now be eligible for parole after 18 years.
Two weeks before the murder, the killer made a reconnaissance trip to the motorplex and watched Martin from just 10 meters away as he added the finishing touches to the deadly plan.
The hitman returned to the motorplex three days earlier and moved a security ramp to give himself a better chance.
The next day he went to the mountains and shot 200 rounds as practice and to tune his sniper rifle.
The killer describes himself as an adrenaline junkie and called his Polish girlfriend (pictured together before his arrest) his rock.
Rebel biker Nick Martin arrived at Pinnaroo Cemetery in a coffin covered with photographs of $100 notes (pictured) at his extravagant biker funeral on December 23, 2020.
On the day of the murder, he He entered the pit area of the track around 6:30 pm and followed Martin to the spectator area to confirm that he was seated where he expected.
He then left the motorplex, dressed in a camouflage suit and gloves, and sneaked back in through a hole in the fence he cut earlier.
He crawled into an area of thick vegetation between 7:23 and 8:33 p.m., where he had a direct line of sight to Martin.
From 335 m away, he calculated the distance and speed of the wind and its effect on his shot and watched Martin through the scope of his rifle for 10 to 15 minutes.
Finally, he chose the moment and pulled the trigger.
The killer then calmly gathered his equipment and left. He would later have the barrel of his rifle replaced and change his tires again to avoid detection.
Police put the shooter under surveillance and tracked him from the armory to his hideout in the Warnbro bush, where they found $249,550 in cash hidden in PVC pipes. His house was also raided after his arrest.
Police spent months investigating with 100 officers working, and the WA government offered a $1 million reward to anyone with information about the shooter.
Despite his careful planning and execution of the murder itself, the shooter, not being a professional hitman, was careless in covering his tracks.
Police found his footprints near where the fatal shot was fired and determined they were made by Fila running shoes.
CCTV footage from the motorplex showed him there on November 28, December 9 and December 12, wearing the same type of shoes, which helped police identify him as a possible suspect.
Mobile phone data also placed him at the scene of the shooting before Martin was shot and killed.
The barrel of the gun was also a loose end, as police removed the barrel of the rifle from the gunsmith and matched it to the bullet after it was removed from Chapman’s arm.
The police put the shooter under surveillance and followed him from the armory to his hideout in a bush in Warnbro.
There they found $249,550 in cash hidden in PVC pipes.
Police were ready to strike on March 15 and the killer confessed on June 2 in exchange for a lighter sentence.