Man shot five times

A falling-out over a drug debt sparked Brett Ashby to threaten to "waste" Grant Adams before he shot him, set his body alight with petrol and buried him, Tauranga District Court has heard.
Crown witness Craig Cullen, 45, claims Tauranga company director Ashby fired three to four shots from a semi-automatic pistol into Mr Adams' upper back before shooting him once in the head.
Cullen was giving evidence against Ashby, who is charged with murder, in a depositions hearing before Community Magistrate Robyn Paterson.
According to Cullen, the execution-style killing took place at Ashby's Ohauiti property on or about December 14, 2005 around 4.30 or 5pm.
He alleged the final shot was fired as Mr Adams, known in criminal circles as "Granite", lay groaning on the ground.
Mr Adams _ a P user with gang connections who dabbled in making and selling the drug _ went missing in December 2005.
His skeletal remains were exhumed from the grounds of Wairakei power station in June last year.
Cullen claimed the killing occurred about six months after he first met Adams.
He was helping Adams and Ashby in their joint venture to extract ephedrine from a Chinese ephedra plant, mahung, and also anti-allergy pills.
He and Ashby planned to split profits from making methamphetamine, and Adams was successful at extracting ephedrine _ but things turned sour after a few weeks.
The pair fell out and Adams claimed Ashby owed him for drugs. He threatened to get someone to take Ashby's Harley-Davidson, truck and house.
Cullen said the men met to discuss the threats, during which Ashby, believing Adams had stolen some ephedrine, produced a 9mm pistol and fired a shot into a nearby bush.
Ashby said "no (one) takes anything from me or I'll waste him" but Cullen said he took his words as bravado. Ashby then allegedly turned the gun on Adams and fired into his back.
Questioned by solicitor Greg Hollister-Jones, Cullen said the killing took place within seconds of Adams and another associate arriving at Ashby's property.
Cullen claimed he was at a table in Ashby's garage with his own loaded double-barrelled shotgun lying on it "for protection".
As the associate walked in with Adams close behind, Ashby shot him. The associate left on hearing the first shot, he said.
Cullen said he helped Ashby roll the body into a rug, then into plastic, and they lifted it onto Ashby's ute. They drove to Taupo to Ashby's workplace, and had a cup of coffee.
He and Ashby drove the ute and a crane truck to Wairakei power station. They returned to his workshop to get a small digger, then took turns digging the 1.8m x 2.5m grave and placed the body in it.
Ashby poured petrol over the body and lit it. The hole was filled in, Cullen said.
Mr Adams' skeletal remains were recovered after Cullen led police to the grave.
Cullen claimed he had no idea that Mr Adams would be killed.
"I always thought he (Ashby) talked himself up a bit," he said.
Cullen said he felt powerless not to comply with Ashby's instructions.
After evidence is heard from 50 witnesses, Community Magistrate Robyn Paterson will decide whether Ashby should stand trial.