Paul Flegel killed in Beechworth after shootout with bitter rival
Dramatic details have emerged of the shootout between two bitter rivals in the tourist town after tensions flared over a woman.
Police & Courts
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The man killed in a fatal shooting at Beechworth last Thursday night showed up guns-a-blazing, in the dark, at the home of his bitter rival, only to end up losing a brief shootout, sources have told the Herald Sun.
Paul Flegel, 60, a Beechworth local who is believed to have links to an outlaw bikie gang, was found dead when police and ambulance crews arrived at the Buckland Gap Rd property owned by 61-year-old Barry Butler.
Mr Butler has owned the property, set back from the road and on the outskirts of the picturesque tourist town, since 2003.
Almost a week on from the shooting, more details are emerging about the brutal final moments of Mr Flegel’s life.
Mr Flegel showed up after sunset with a loaded weapon, although it is unclear whether he was determined to kill his long-running rival or simply deliver a message.
The Herald Sun has been told things turned violent after an angry Mr Flegel turned up.
One theory is that tensions between Mr Flegel and his target had worsened over a woman.
Mr Flegel’s target, already wary, saw him arrive and armed himself for conflict.
“He’s gone and got his Roscoe (gun) out,” a source said.
It is not known who fired the first shot.
Neighbours knew the surviving man as a skilled marksman and regular hunter, and thought little of it when they heard shots ring out from the property.
It was not until the surviving man called triple-0, prompting a swarm of emergency vehicles, that they became aware that, of the “four or five” shots the men fired at each other, at least one had fatally wounded Mr Flegel and another hit the surviving man in the chest.
He was released from hospital on Wednesday, questioned by detectives, and charged with possessing an unregistered handgun, possessing handgun with its serial number ground off, cultivating cannabis and possessing cannabis.
The fact that Mr Flegel arrived armed at the property means it is unlikely his killer will be charged with homicide, on the grounds of self defence.
He was bailed to appear at Wodonga Magistrates Court in May next year.
Investigators have seized weapons and ammunition found at the property as part of a painstaking forensic investigation of the bloody crime scene, which will attempt to re-create the final minutes of Mr Flegel’s life.
All the weapons have been sent away for forensic testing, largely to determine who was armed with what weapon, and who opened fire first.
Police have stressed Beechworth was a safe place and that the shooting was between men known to each other.
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