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Burton charged with murder, man sought
Thursday January 11, 2007
Graeme Burton was on parole at the time of the alleged offences.
Graeme Burton has been charged with one count of murder and two of attempted
murder, police said today.
Officers also revealed they are seeking a man who yesterday came to Wellington
Hospital, where Burton is recovering from an amputated leg, and threatened to
kill the police responsible for arresting him.
Burton, 35, had his leg removed following a gunshot wound inflicted by police
arresting him on the hills above Lower Hutt on Saturday.
A special hearing was held at his bedside this morning.
Detective Senior Sergeant Shane Cotter said: "When spoken to by police, Burton
declined to make a statement and has been arrested and charged.
"He appeared at a special bedside court hearing at 10am this morning and has
been remanded in custody until February 2 without plea."
He had been on the run since December when he breached his parole.
Police allege he shot and killed Wainuiomata father-of-two Karl Kuchenbecker,
26.
He is also allegedly responsible for shooting and injuring two mountain bikers
riding on the firebreak on Saturday.
Judge Susan Thomas presided over the closed hearing at the hospital this
morning.
Burton faces 20 additional police charges and two concerning his probation.
Threatened
Police also said this morning that at around 6am yesterday morning a man went to
Wellington hospital demanding to speak to Burton.
When this request was refused he threatened to kill the two police officers
involved in the capture and arrest of Burton, police said. He then left the
hospital.
A short time later a marked police patrol car parked in the hospital grounds had
several windows smashed and a side mirror ripped off.
Police are now seeking a man described as male, caucasian, 25 to 30-years-old,
5'10" to 5'11" tall, with dark stubble and of medium build.
The man has a no 2 or 3 shaved haircut with a ginger/brown hair and has three
thin scratches about 2 cm in length on left side of face which appeared recent.
Police said he was of scruffy appearance and a "highly agitated, nervous and
angry state and swearing to himself".
THE CHARGES AGAINST BURTON
Alleged offences on January 6:
The murder of Karl Paul Kuchenbecker
The attempted murder of two people whose names and details have been suppressed
The aggravated robbery, kidnapping, aggravated injury, threatening to kill and
use of a firearm in the commission of a crime against Nicholas Joseph Rea
The aggravated robbery, kidnapping, injuring with reckless disregard for the
safety of other, threatening to kill and use of a firearm in the commission of a
crime against Kate Ellen Rea
The use of firearm against two law enforcement officers
Alleged offences on January 5:
Aggravated burglary
Aggravated robbery of Wade Liam Wallace
Aggravated robbery of Tara Michelle Enoka
Aggravated robbery of Khan Darryl Thompson
Use of a firearm
Alleged offences on January 3:
Wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm
Aggravated burglary
Use of a firearm
- NZPA, NZHERALD STAF
Burton 'normal' till he found drugs
PATRICK CREWDSON - The Dominion Post | Tuesday, 9 January 2007
He was a gentle child who used to draw charcoal etchings of birds on his
mother's birthday cards.
But now he is again in custody in connection with a deadly shootout that killed
a young father.
Graeme Burton, 35, was adopted at birth and brought up by his adoptive mother in
Waterloo, Lower Hutt, after his adoptive father suffered a fatal heart attack
when he was very young.
Family friends said he left school when he was 15 to work at a menswear store
where an older employee allegedly introduced him to drugs.
A long-time friend of the family, who was a guest at the wedding of Burton's
adoptive parents, said he had a good upbringing and did not go off the rails
till he found drugs after leaving school.
"It was the drugs. Up till then he was a normal child. He'd get in trouble with
his mother now and again and she'd smack his backside and everything would be
all right. Nothing heavy, not getting in with the police or anything. I always
found he was a polite little boy."
She said Burton's adoptive parents would "turn in their graves" to see him
today. "Devastated" by his murder conviction, Burton's adoptive mother died of
cancer in 1999 while he was in prison.
Lower Hutt woman Glenyss Buchanan, a close friend of Burton's adoptive mother,
was in frequent contact with Burton during his prison stint and believed he had
been rehabilitated.
"He projected to me that he would come out and try to stay on the straight and
narrow," she said. "I don't believe the Parole Board have anything to blame
themselves for."
Mrs Buchanan recalled a gentle child, a "fitness freak" and a talented artist
who drew birds in charcoal on his mother's birthday cards. She said Burton's
birth mother visited him from Australia when he was in Auckland Prison and
returned for a month when he was freed from jail.
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