Sydney locals key to murder case: police

The final puzzle piece in the case of a gruesome Sydney murder could depend upon inner-city locals coming forward.

Rodney Scarman, 52, was beaten to death and his body stuffed inside an electrical cupboard in inner-city Waterloo in the early hours of Boxing Day, 2011.

It's believed the killing was the result of a drug transaction gone wrong.

Images of two of three men, who may been involved, have been released.

Police say they are close to solving the case, but they need the Waterloo and Redfern community to help.

"We are very interested in speaking to anybody who can account for the movements of those two men on Christmas night and Boxing Day," Superintendent Sam Crisafulli told reporters.

"Especially now that we're so close.

"(It) would be great comfort if we could solve this crime for the victim's family."

Mr Scarman's sister made an emotional public appeal for information in December, on the third anniversary of his death.

"It's torturing to my mind, emotionally it's agonising," Robyn Turner told reporters.

"I hope one day we have some closure to move on."

An autopsy showed Mr Scarman suffered significant injuries to most of his body.

He was last seen a few hours before he was killed in an agitated state, on nearby streets.

Police say a number of people have so far responded to the appeal.