Months of court action, intimidation and alleged threats exploded into triple shooting
Before the bloodshed in the small town in southwest Victoria, there was a history of bad blood that eventually exploded.
Police & Courts
Don't miss out on the headlines from Police & Courts. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The bad blood which exploded into the triple-fatal Kirkstall shooting may have been building as long ago as last year.
By the time Travis Cashmore opened fire outside the town, there had reportedly been months of court action, intimidation and alleged threats linked to one of the victims, Kevin Knowles.
Cashmore shot crime figure Knowles and his mate Benny Ray then took his own life in the tiny southwest Victorian town on July 22.
Knowles had last year menaced a mate of Cashmore with a knife and threatened to kill him and his children.
The Warrnambool Standard reported Knowles appeared in court in January this year over the matter and was jailed.
He had visited Cashmore’s friend’s property with Mr Ray, who hid behind bushes during the confrontation.
Mr Ray claimed to have been previously threatened by the victim.
Cashmore had been at his friend’s home at the time and filmed the incident, in which Knowles brandished a silver kitchen knife.
“I’m going to kill you and your kids. Your days are numbers,” The Standard reported Knowles had said.
Cashmore’s friend had since had other problems with the 49-year-old.
At the time of his death, Knowles had been due to face intervention order breach charges allegedly related to harassment of the friend.
Knowles, a long-term ice user, was regarded as a feared figure in the Kirkstall area.
His reputation was bolstered by persistent whispers about the deaths of a number of people linked to him.
Knowles was a suspect in the death of Warrnambool man Stephen Johnston, 57, who was with severe assault injuries at his home in 2016
He had been visited by Knowles and his then-girlfriend Amanda Bourke on that day.
Ms Bourke, the only other witness in the Johnstone case, died while swimming in the ocean with Knowles in 2018.
Olivia Dyson, another former partner of Knowles, died of natural causes in 2016.
There had been a long history of domestic violence involving the pair which some believe may have contributed to her death.
Toothpaste, frozen prawns hot ticket items for supermarket thieves
Thieves are making off with shopping trolley loads of items and selling the goods to tobacconists and convenience stores – with demand high for Sensodyne toothpaste and bags of frozen prawns.
Ex-AFL star’s wife makes impassioned plea from Bali jail after sex raids scandal
The estranged wife of former Bomber Ricky Olarenshaw has made a desperate plea from a Bali prison, claiming she has been exploited by her husband and his Australian business partners.