This gruesome X- ray shows how a murder victim was killed with a nail gun.

Thirty three-inch nails were fired into Anthony Liu's head.

Police in Australia have released the chilling image in the belief that it will help them to identify 27-year-old Mr Liu's killer.

Horrific: An X-ray released by police shows multiple nails embedded in the skull of Anthony Liu

They hope it will encourage witnesses to come forward with information about those who may have had a grudge against the dead man.

The body of Mr Liu, also known as Chen Liu, was found dumped in Sydney's George River in November, wrapped in a carpet .

Victim: Anthony Liu's body was found wrapepd in a carpet and dumped in dumped in Sydney's George River

He was tightly bound with electrical wires and an extension cord and the carpet was held in place with strips of wire.

Police say the clues suggest the killer was someone in the building or electrical industry.

Detectives believe Mr Liu was murdered with the nail gun in another part of the city, then driven to the river in his own blue Range Rover Sport.

Detective Inspector Mark Newham said: 'Post-mortem examination results and the X-ray show he was shot repeatedly in the head up to 30 times with a high-powered nail gun.

'Similar types of nail guns can fire nails up to more than three inches long.'

He said the nail gun used in the murder was a standard, cordless, gas-charged gun which was widely available for sale and hire.

Superintendent Geoff Beresford said the murder had stunned investigators. 'In 36 years, I've never seen a murder of this nature,' he said.



'It's a particularly brutal and vicious murder and hence the reason we are seeking information from the public.'

He added: 'We certainly believe the nail gun is responsible for the death, there's no doubt about that.

'We believe the perpetrators had every intention of the body not being discovered. Certainly there were efforts made to weigh it down .'

Police are investigating associates of Mr Liu, but say there is nothing to suggest any links to a criminal group.

It is understand Mr Liu was gay and lived with his partner in the Sydney suburb of Rockdale.

He was reported missing by a male friend. Two weeks later, two children sailing a canoe found his body.

Mr Liu had migrated from China to Australia in 2000. He was married to an Australian woman but they divorced shortly after his arrival and had not kept in touch.

