Hours before Vic shooting crucial: court

The hours leading up to a Melbourne homicide are crucial to the case against his accused killers, a court has heard.

A 47-year-old man was found shot dead in the street at Heidelberg West on April 1.

Heidelberg West men Daniel Patrick McCaughey, 43, and Scott Wilson McDonald, 46, are charged with his murder.

Associates of McCaughey, McDonald and the dead man will give evidence during coming proceedings in the case, the Melbourne Magistrates Court heard on Tuesday.

The court heard they would shed light on the conduct and movements of all three men in the hours leading up to the shooting, evidence crucial to the case.

Nine witnesses, including police experts, will be cross-examined when the matter comes before the court again for the three-day committal hearing from December 1.

Relatives of the deceased man were in court on Tuesday.