Bouquets and notes adorn the fence of Cashmore's property where he took his life moments after shooting career criminal Kevin Knowles, 49, and his sidekick Benny Ray, 48, about 10.20am on July 22.

Cashmore was said to have snapped after years of harassment and intimidation from Knowles.

While the tight-knit community is horrified at what transpired that Friday morning on the side of Scotts North Road and can't condone the events, letters on the front fence of Cashmore's property and others sent to The Standard give insights into the depth of feelings against Knowles.

"You are the hero of Kirkstall," one note said about Cashmore.

Another said: "Thank you for the selfless, ultimate scracifice for the people and community that you loved."

A long-time Kirkstall resident penned a letter to The Standard, outlining how she and others lived in fear of Knowles.

"He was a tyrant. A toxic human," she said of Knowles.

"For those who live on Atkinson Street, when he purchased land there, it was a terrible day.

"A day that would change their lives and livelihoods for the worst.

"Over 10 years of verbal abuse, constant police visits, obvious drug dealing, domestic violence, continual fear mongering, threats and daily unease.

"Always looking over the shoulder to see if he might be out walking either alone, with his friend, his girlfriend or his dog at the same time you were.

"Always checking to see if he was walking into Koroit, then turning the car around and going into town a different way because, on numerous occasions, he would try to flag the car down for a lift, even jumping in front of it on one such occasion.

"Never being able to have a house party or garage sale in case he came over to case the place or disrupt the gathering."

She said police attending Knowles' property was regular.

"Often a divvy van or two, three and sometimes four would pull up at his house and we would all hold our collective breath and hope that this would be the time that he was taken away for good," she wrote.

"To finally get his comeuppance and be thrown in jail, with the key well and truly thrown away.

"But this was never the case. Always, he would return.

"Sometimes we would have a reprieve of three months, or six if we were lucky. When he was 'away' we could all relax a tiny bit. But in saying that, there was always that element of trouble going on at that house. Always others there in his absence.

"Not behaving in the same miserable way he would, but menacing just the same."

She said Knowles was permanently banned from the local hotel, and anyone who knew the publican knew "you would need to be a bad, bad egg for that to happen".

"Our little town of Kirkstall was really, at times, a difficult place to live. At least along Atkinson Street and surrounds," she said.

"Not anymore."

She said Cashmore was a "gentle, messy-haired, flannelette shirt-wearing, van-driving, smiling, friendly gypsy".

"He was that guy who waved every time and would stop to say g'day if you gave him half a chance. He lived the quiet life," she said.

"That day, that terrible day, dare I say it or whisper it, and I feel heartless and callous for even thinking it, but Travis Cashmore, in a twisted, non-nonsensical kind of way, did his community a justice.

"A justice that should never have been his to commit. In all of this messiness and sadness, I feel for his family. His friends. For he, himself.

"I feel that our justice system has let us down. Let the tiny, sleepy, once family-friendly little town of Kirkstall down in a terrible ticking time-bomb of a way.

"Kevin Knowles should have been in prison a long time ago for his underworld, underhanded, sneaky, law-breaking, violent, threatening, drug taking and dealing murderous ways.

"He should have been behind bars, away from humanity and the community that he threatened so much and was such a danger to. Away where he could not have driven this young man to do such a terrible thing.

"Travis' death must not be in vain."

She said Cashmore's parents had requested for the community to be their son's media, his voice.

"This letter is just a tip of the iceberg of questions, of inaction and ultimately of the telling of a tragic turn of events from a frightened, constantly threatened and tormented young man. Where is the justice in that?

"Three men would be alive today if the court system had done the job of looking at Knowles' and his 40-plus page list of criminal activity properly, and put him where he belonged many years ago.

"How could any judge have kept releasing him back into the community? Into my community? How on earth has this happened? I am so saddened."

She said residents would be "somehow relieved".

"We have been building up this little community and spruiking it as a family-friendly quiet little hub with potential for a long time," she said.

"Let's do that. Let's get on with the quiet life and put all this behind us.

"Let's not forget Travis Cashmore. To those who were affected directly by this tragic tale, talk to someone close or seek counselling. Reach out to a friend or family member or neighbour. You are not alone.

"In finishing, I am not going to put a name to this letter. Cowardly? Maybe. I still feel the prickle of fear of Kevin Knowles and his associates. I will continue to look over my shoulder until I feel like it's over.

"This event will stay in Kirkstall's folklore history forever."

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