Former Soldier Benjamin Luke Johnston Identified as Hired Assassin in Rebels Bikie Boss Murder

A WA Supreme Court has lifted suppression orders on Benjamin Luke Johnston, the former soldier hired to assassinate bikie leader Nick Martin at a Perth racetrack.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 25, 2026, 6:43 AM EDT

Source: RNZ Pacific

The Precision Strike at Perth Motorplex

The assassination took place in December 2020 during a crowded event at the Perth Motorplex in Kwinana. Johnston, utilizing his military-grade marksmanship skills, fired a single shot from a sniper rifle from a distance of several hundred meters. The bullet struck Nick Martin in the chest while he was seated with his family, killing him almost instantly. The surgical precision of the hit initially led investigators to look for suspects with professional military or law enforcement backgrounds.

Johnston was eventually apprehended and pleaded guilty to the murder in 2021. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison, a term that reflected his cooperation with authorities in identifying those who orchestrated the hit. Until this week, his name had been withheld from the public to protect his safety within the prison system while he served as a key witness in related trials.

Legal Maneuvers and the Removal of Suppression Orders

The decision to reveal Johnston’s identity came after his own legal team argued that the protective measures were no longer necessary and had become a hindrance to his rehabilitation. Defense lawyer David Merena informed Justice Joseph McGrath that Johnston no longer feared for his safety, noting that his identity was already widely known among the general prison population. Furthermore, Johnston expressed a desire to enroll in a university health science degree, a process that required the use of his legal name.

While lawyers for David Pye—the man Johnston claims paid him for the hit—opposed the lifting of the order, Justice McGrath ruled in favor of transparency. The court noted that Western Australia Police had been consulted and no longer contended that the suppression was vital for Johnston’s physical security. The removal of the order also simplifies administrative hurdles for prison visits and educational opportunities for the inmate.