Forty years on, family calls for information over Albert Pisani's 1986 Gippsland death

Family members of Albert Pisani have appealed to the public for information on the fortieth anniversary of the slain Gippsland father's disappearance.

Missing Persons Squad detectives are returning the spotlight on the cold case, exactly four decades on from the 27-year-old's disappearance in Victoria's east, on 10 October 1986.

Victoria Police said Mr Pisani was last seen walking on Moe's Prince Street, and it was understood he was intending to use a bank in Moe's town centre then return home to his partner and five children for lunch.

"Albert would regularly travel for a few days on road trips, so family members were not immediately concerned. He was reported missing to police a few days later on 15 October,"

a Victoria Police statement read.

Following extensive searches, Albert's remains were located in bushland in Driffield on 9 June 1987, approximately 20km from where he resided in Moe.

Police believe Albert was met with foul play which subsequently led to his death.

Investigations have taken place over the past 40 years, and police have spoken to Mr Pisani's family, friends and associates to try and determine the circumstances surrounding his disappearance.

Police believe Mr Pisani was involved in a dispute at his workplace, the State Electricity Commission (SEC) Briquette Factory in nearby Morwell, before he went missing.

"Albert had a fascination with trucks, developed relationships with local and interstate truck drivers and would regularly hitchhike across Australia,"

Victoria Police said.

At this stage, it remains unclear who may have been involved and if there is any possible motivation for causing him harm.

Two of Mr Pisani's sisters, Carol Ward and Karen Pisani, have released public statements reflecting on their brother's disappearance and the impact it had on their family.

"Albert was the eldest of eight siblings, worked at the SEC and had a big passion for trucks,"

Karen Pisani said.

"Unfortunately, I never got to know my brother and godfather, but his death has had a huge impact on my everyday life. Our mother, Mary, died in 2016 after suffering significantly from Albert's murder. It was extremely difficult seeing the extent of my mother's pain as Albert was dearly missed and loved by all. Forty years on, I still live in fear of the unknown crime. We need anyone with any information to come forward so we can fully put him to rest."

No criminal history Mr Pisani had no criminal history and was not known to police prior to his disappearance.

Missing Persons Squad detective inspector David Dunstan said police did not believe Mr Pisani took his own life.

"We simply don't know what happened to him, and we need help from the public to solve this case,"

he said.

"His disappearance was out of character. These types of missing persons investigations are never closed and sadly, Albert's killer remains out there."

In 2016, at the time of the 30th anniversary of Mr Pisani's disappearance, Victoria Police announced a $1 million reward for information to identify those responsible for the Gippsland father's death.