He preferred to conduct his business in private, though what that business was few really knew. His criminal record understates his influence. It lists offences of dishonesty, bribery, possession of firearms, escape, resisting arrest and assaulting police. But criminal records list only an offender's arrest history - his failures. One definition of a successful criminal is one who tends not to get caught.

Many wondered how he prospered. Sometimes even he struggled to explain. When he was interviewed by police after the 1998 murder of his friend and fellow gangster Alphonse John Gangitano he was uncharacteristically tongue-tied.

Asked by experienced homicide investigator Gavan Ryan (later head of the Purana Taskforce) what he did for a job, he responded: "Occupation at the moment? It would be - I'm a - well, I'm still - I'm still - I'm still a rigger, I'm still a rigger, yeah."

The shooting of the man known as "The Munster" was one of the most ominous of the more than 20 underworld related killings committed in Melbourne's so-called Underbelly crime wars. Nearly all the victims were volatile, erratic men who saw violence as a weapon of first resort. But the older and wiser Kinniburgh was a tactician who realised gangland feuds were counterproductive.

It was Kinniburgh's friendship with Gangitano - a relationship senior police found hard to understand - that first forced the older man from the shadows. Kinniburgh was wealthy but tried to hide it; Gangitano was struggling but deliberately cultivated an image of affluence.

The Munster went to visit the younger gangster on January 16, 1998, the night Gangitano was shot dead in his Templestowe home. Police believe Jason Moran was at the house and argued with Gangitano. The say Moran opened fire on Gangitano, killing him instantly. (Moran was shot dead at a junior football clinic on June 21, 2003.)

The theory goes that a startled Kinniburgh ran to the front door, injuring his hand on the security mesh in his haste to throw it open. He then went upstairs to check the security video to see if there was any compromising evidence - a speck of his blood was found in the area. Kinniburgh told police Gangitano was on the phone when he arrived and asked him to leave while he had a meeting. The Munster said he went to get cigarettes and returned 30 minutes later to find Big Al dead.

It was a fabrication. Kinniburgh left the murder scene and went to the shop in the hope he could convince police he was not present at the killing.

Coroner Iain West said later: "I do not accept Graham Kinniburgh's version of events, as I am satisfied he was present at the time the deceased was shot."

He said Kinniburgh went to the convenience store to be filmed on the security camera "thereby attempting to establish an alibi of being absent from the premises at the critical time".

"I am satisfied that both Graham Allan Kinniburgh and Jason Matthew Patrick Moran were implicated in the death," Mr West said. The difference between Moran and Kinniburgh could be seen at the inquest. The younger gangster wore a flash suit, while Kinniburgh dressed down. He would do nothing to draw attention to himself.

While Kinniburgh could afford imported suits, he mostly preferred the casual clothes of an off-duty dock worker, but in middle age he had acquired some expensive tastes and was a regular at the five star Flower Drum restaurant - usually getting the best table.

Asked once what he did with his money he said, "Well I've spent 50 grand on fried rice."

Kinniburgh lived in a large, tasteful house in Belmont Avenue, one of the better blocks of Kew, a prestigious suburb, more the haunt of doctors, lawyers, stockbrokers and radio celebrities.

But he drove a second-hand Ford Falcon, the car he drove home on the night he was shot.

While Kinniburgh did not flaunt his wealth he managed to put his two children through private schools while not working in any legitimate job.

For three decades Kinniburgh was connected with some of Australia's biggest crimes.

Police say he was the mastermind behind the magnetic drill gang that grabbed $1.7 million from a NSW bank, a huge jewellery haul from a Lonsdale Street office and valuables from safety deposit boxes in Melbourne. He was alleged to have been the organiser of a bullion snatch in Queensland and was once charged over receiving stolen property from a burglary on Lindsay Fox's home.

When police raided Kinniburgh's home they found $4500 in a drawer and a rare pendant owned by Mrs Fox in a coat pocket. The Munster told police they could keep the money if they did not charge him over the burglary.

While he was convicted over the bribery, he beat the theft charges by having an identical pendant made to raise doubt about the unique nature of the jewellery.

Kinniburgh had many friends. One of them was Lewis Moran, whose along with sons Jason and Mark were murdered in the underworld war.

After the unwanted publicity The Munster wanted to return to the anonymity of his quiet suburb and semi retirement.

But as his friends were killed in war with drug boss Carl Williams (who was to be murdered in Barwon Prison in 2010) he realised he may well be sucked back into a feud that was not of his making.

He began to carry a gun but was a creature of habit and he was shot outside his house carrying a bag of groceries. The gun was found just six steps from his car.

Immediately many suspected (wrongly) that Carl Williams' hitman Andrew Veniamin was the killer.

Certainly Kinniburgh's best friend, Mick Gatto was of that view. On March 23 2004 Gatto shot Veniamin dead in what a Supreme Court jury found was a case of self defence.

This week, nearly 12 years after Kinniburgh was killed, the Purana taskforce charged a man with his murder.