Brodie Leigh Price was jailed after the death of 41-year-old Jason William McPherson, who he shot in the chest with a rifle.

Following a trial in 2015, a jury found him not guilty of murder, but guilty of manslaughter.

Handing down his sentence in September 2015, Justice Stephen Estcourt said it was “difficult to understand in the circumstances of this case how the jury could pass over a verdict of murder based on the pulling of the trigger of the rifle as an unlawful act which the defendant knew or ought to have known was likely to cause death in the circumstances”.

“Nonetheless, it is within the jury's province to do so, that is, to return such a verdict, and the verdict of manslaughter must be taken to mean that the jury was satisfied of all of the elements of murder, except for the requisite knowledge and intent,” Justice Estcourt said.

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Price, who was 20 at the time, was jailed for eight years.

He was released on February 19 this year, after serving his minimum non-parole period of four years – half of his sentence.

Publishing its decision this week, the Parole Board said Price had become “less impulsive, more honest, focused and determined” since being taken into custody.

“He has tackled his drug addiction and in his appearance before the Board professed his ambition and motivation to pursue further studies and ultimately obtain employment,” the decision read.

“In recognition therefore of this applicant’s determination and motivation to lead a pro-social life without the negative influence of his previous antisocial cohorts and the use of drugs the Board have determined to approve his parole order noting the benefits that the applicant will obtain from supervision under that order.”

Price was paroled from February 19 until January 18, 2022.