KEY POINTS:
The grieving father of the 26-year-old quadbiker gunned down metres from his home in Graeme Burton's final rampage wants someone held accountable for the parole of the convicted killer.
Police were today using a helicopter to carry out a search of the hills above Lower Hutt where the
man died for further evidence.
Detective Senior Sergeant Shane Cotter said police were hoping to interview Burton sometime this week. He is still sedated and detectives were awaiting medical clearance. "That has not been received as yet," he said.
Karl Kuchenbecker, 26, a truck driver and father of two, was blasted to death on Saturday afternoon before Burton's violent four-day spree through Wellington ended in a volley of bullets.
Kuchenbecker's family today released a statement thanking police and calling Karl 'an incredible man' and a 'committed loving father' of two children.
"This situation has come as a complete shock and is devastating for the family, the statement read. "Karl was an incredible man and a committed loving father of two adorable children. We are horrified that such a terrible event could happen in New Zealand and we hope efforts are made to ensure an innocent person's life is not taken in a similar manner again."
"Someone has got to be held accountable for it," his father, Paul, said yesterday.
"We're going through a grieving process at the moment, but we will be making ourselves more conspicuous in the next few days and asking for some answers.
"We've only just identified the boy, so we're not in good shape right now."
It was revealed yesterday that the Parole Board decided to release Burton despite knowing that he had not gone through gradual "home leave" reintegration as the board had requested.
The board described the lack of home leave as "disappointing" but granted Burton parole, taking the view he was not an "undue" danger to the community.
The board's report leaves several questions about the decision.
A board spokeswoman said none of the six people who made the Burton decision would comment, and the chairman, Judge David Carruthers, was unavailable.
Karl Kuchenbecker was a two-minute ride away from home when he was slain.
The Wainuiomata man was riding his new quadbike when he met Burton. Minutes later he was dead.
A neighbour, Roger Finlay, said Mr Kuchenbecker was "a very nice guy and would do anything to help anyone out. Our sympathies go out to the families of course. It's really hard and hard to believe.
"I don't understand how the Government could let this happen."
Mr Kuchenbecker, nicknamed "Cookie", lived on his father's farm, which backs on to the bush and track where he was riding his new bike on Saturday night.
"He didn't deserve to go out like that," said a close friend who did not want to be identified.
"Where he got shot there is a little bush track that goes up from the farm to the water tower track.
"It was more or less in his back yard."
The friend said Mr Kuchenbecker, who worked for an earthworks company, loved the farm.
"He used to go hunting for rabbits and possums all the time, that was one of his favourite things."
He is believed to have bought the quadbike he was riding when he died to replace one which had been stolen.
"You're not suppose to be up there on bikes, but everyone does it. It's one of the only places around there that you can ride a motorbike.
"He probably popped out for a quick ride on it. He must have only been on his bike two minutes from his back yard. He just didn't come home."
The friend said he doubted Mr Kuchenbecker would have put his life at risk by challenging an armed man.
"Whether he tried to get away and that's why he got shot, I don't know.
"But there's no way he would have wanted to put his life in jeopardy because his two sons meant the world to him."
Soon after Mr Kuchenbecker's death and attacks on four mountain bikers on the same track, police shot Graeme Burton in the leg and took him into custody.
Burton is recovering in Wellington Hospital after his leg was amputated above the knee.
Mr Kuchenbecker's sons are believed to be aged 8 and 4. He was separated from their mother, and had a new partner.
His friend said: "He loved the outdoors. He loved riding his motorbike. He was a great dad - a real family man."
The friend said he last saw Mr Kuchenbecker about three weeks ago at a fish and chip shop.
"He had his sons with him and was just grabbing some tea. He was one awesome guy - he'd never hurt a fly. He'd do anything for anyone."
One of the four mountainbikers attacked by Burton after Mr Kuchenbecker's death was in Wellington Hospital in a stable condition after surgery on an elbow injury.
Members of the Parole Board who released Graeme Burton
* Judge Bill Unwin: Retired in 1997. Former Canterbury District Prison Board chairman. Appointed to Parole Board in July, 2002.
* Judge Patrick Toomey: District Court judge from 1985 to 2000. Chaired New Plymouth District Prison Board. Appointed July 2002.
* Associate Professor Philip Brinded: Clinical director of Canterbury District Health Board's mental health division. Appointed September, 2004.
* June Jackson: CEO of Nga Whare Waatea Marae and its prisoner re-integration programme. Appointed July, 2002.
* Uialatea Stephen Thomsen: Samoan chaplain involved in Pacific Island-based crime prevention. Appointed in July, 2002.
* Sandy Gill: Worked with at-risk youth and adult offending. Appointed July, 2002
- additional reporting NZPA
