Three people were charged this afternoon - two in connection with the murder of Matthew Zahra and one in connection with the double murders of convicted drug trafficker Mario Camilleri Snr and his 21-year-old son Mario Jnr.
First to be charged was 41-year-old George Galea, a security guard from St Julian's, who pleaded not guilty to shooting Mr Camilleri Snr and stabbing Mr Camilleri Jnr. He did not request bail and was remanded in custody.
Mr Galea was also charged with hiding the bodies, stealing items that were on the men, the illegal possession of a firearm, firing a gun in a public space in Zabbar and damaging a vehicle belonging to a third person.
Police Inspectors Chris Pullicino, Fabian Fleri, Michael Mallia and Louise Calleja prosecuted.
Lawyers Giannella de Marco and Gianluca Caruana Curran appeared for Mr Galea.
Mr Galea's step-brother Ronald Urry, 49, of Paola and Jason Galea, 39, of Birzebbuga were then charged with Matthew Zahra's murder.
They pleaded not guilty to murdering Mr Zahra by shooting him and hiding his body in a field at Qajjenza, stealing items from the body, the illegal possession of a firearm and firing a gun in a public place.
Mr Galea alone was also charged with breaching bail conditions and Mr Urry alone with relapsing.
Bail was not requested and both accused were remanded in custody.
Late on Friday, Mr (Jason) Galea, who is the brother-in-law and uncle of Mr Camilleri Snr and Mr Camilleri Jnr, respectively, was charged with both murders.
Defence lawyer Joe Giglio appeared for Jason Galea and legal procurator Mario Mifsud Bonnici for Mr Urry.
A request for a ban on the publication of Mr Urry's name was declined.
The police believe that Mr Camilleri Snr, 58, known as l-Imniehru, was killed in Marsaxlokk while his 21-year-old son Mario Jnr was shot and stabbed 34 times in Qajjenza, Birżebbuġa, shortly afterwards.
The two men were found partly buried in a shallow grave at a field in Qajjenza.
The remains of a foot, which police believe may belong to Mr Zahra, 27, who went missing in August last year, was also found.
Addressing a crime conference this afternoon, Assistant Police Commissioner Pierre Calleja said that from declarations gathered by the police during their investigations, they had enough evidence to arraign people with Mr Zahra’s murder, even though scientific tests on what are believed to be his remains have not yet concluded.
These same declarations show that the body of Mr Zahra, who was killed on August 15 last year - the day he was reported missing, had been dumped at the field. Mr Zahra had also been shot.
The police have also found other bones on site and were not ruling out anything at this point
Mr Calleja said that the gun used to kill Mr Zahra had not yet been found. That used in the murders of the Camilleris was also missing but the police have the knife used in the latter murders in their possession.