Strike Force Backhouse detectives on Thursday charged Stephen John Garland, 64, a former high-ranking member of the Newcastle Nomads, with murder and accessory after the fact to murder over the death of Mrs Klimovitch, 61, who was shot in the chest point blank with a 12 gauge shotgun when she answered the door to her Queen Street home about 8pm on June 9.

The Newcastle Herald previously reported that detectives believed Mr Garland was the man who drove accused Canberra hitman Jason Paul Hawkins from Heddon Greta to Stockton on the night Mrs Klimovitch was killed. Police arrested Mr Garland at a house at Waratah on November 25 and seized his Holden Commodore.

He was later charged with drug supply and refused bail. The murder charge was laid on Mr Garland in custody on Thursday and he will next appear in Newcastle Local Court on Monday.

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