‘Likely he has succumbed to his injuries’: Missing father feared dead as man charged over Wildwood shooting

A man has been charged over the shooting of missing father-of-three Khaled Malas, as police continue the desperate search for the 37-year-old.

Malas, from Meadow Heights, was allegedly shot in the torso following a dispute with occupants at a property on Wildwood Road at around 7:20pm on Wednesday.

Police allege Malas was then placed in the back of a ute and driven from the property. He has not been seen since.

A 56-year-old Wildwood man was arrested the following day and has since been charged with one count of intentionally causing serious injury.

Malas remains unaccounted for, with police holding significant concerns for his welfare and believing it is “likely he has succumbed to his injuries”.

The development comes after Malas’ devastated family gathered at the search scene in Wildwood on Friday, saying they feared the worst.

“Khaled is a beautiful man. He did not deserve what happened to him,” his cousin Abdul Malas told 7NEWS.

Malas’ wife recently gave birth to the couple’s third child, with relatives saying she was desperately waiting for news.

The family told 7NEWS Malas and two others had gone to the Wildwood property over a debt before he was shot.

“He’s going to ask him when he’s going to give him his money,” Oubayda said.

The family said they had resigned themselves to the likelihood Malas had died as they came to Wildwood on Friday, begging police for answers.

Police have been searching across Melbourne’s northwest, including around Wildwood and a tip in Sunbury, while detectives are also looking for the firearm believed to have been used.

Investigators are continuing to appeal for information about Malas’ whereabouts and the movements of a black Mitsubishi Triton ute travelling through the Greenvale, Sunbury, Bulla, Oaklands Junction and Wildwood areas on Wednesday night and early Thursday morning to contact police.

Anyone with information or footage of the vehicle is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online.