A ONE-TIME Kings Cross strip club manager questioned during the Wood royal commission into police corruption over his role in the drug trade has been killed in an apparent gangland hit.

Todd Anthony O'Connor, an associate of several of the Cross's most notorious characters and a long-time police target, was found dead in South Street, Tempe, during Sunday night's rugby league grand final.

Mr O'Connor was found lying on his back, blood running from his head and a set of car keys in his right hand. Detectives from both the homicide and gangs squad were involved in the investigation. "The man had car keys in his hand and it looked like he was trying to get to his car," a resident who found his body told the Herald .

A silver late-model sedan, believed to be his car, was parked only metres away, near a large area of scrubland backing onto Sydney Airport.

Police have yet to state the cause of death, but it is believed Mr O'Connor was shot at least once in the head.

One neighbour inside their home described hearing six shots - two spaced out and then four in rapid succession - at about 7.35pm.

The neighbour answered loud knocking on the door and a middle-aged woman told her to call triple-0.

Mr O'Connor had suffered catastrophic head injuries, the local said. "It [appeared] to me that he might have been shot in the mouth."

Mr O'Connor, 42, had worked in Sydney's red light district since he was 17 as a bouncer, doorman and manager.

In recent years Mr O'Connor was particularly close to one Kings Cross identity who well-placed police sources say has long been a target for suspected large-scale drug dealing.