Why / When was Kazekage killed?

[Superman]

Why did Orochimnaru kill Kazekage befor the attack of Konoha? He would have really been a big force against the Konoha Jounins. With him in the mix, they could have continued with the attack even after Orochimaru's arms got sealed. Orochimaru could have still taken his place sitting up next to the hokage. and their fight could have gone the same way. But then the Kazekage could have come in over the wall with the big snakes and all the other sand and sound ninjas and beat some ass.

Or, are we supposed to believe that Orochimaru killed Kazekage much earlier and Kazekage never really agreed to the attack in the first place.

[PSJ]

he was most likely killed before the attack.

[Assertn]

thats how he steals their identities.....

not only does he take his face so he can poze as the kazekage, but im sure it would be bad to have the real kazekage was around....keep in mind that the real kazekage had nothing to do with the attack on konoha, in fact he probably wouldnt have agreed to it at all

[Superman]

So you think that Orochimaru killed Kazekage befor the chuunin exam? To me, it seemed like the real Kazekage agreed to go along with the attack, but then was killed by Orochimaru much later, like on his way to konoha. Maybe he had to take his face to make a more convincing transformation. Because a regular Henge obviously would not work against the 3rd.

[Assertn]

im pretty sure the guy who blew the whistle when they found the corpses pointed out that the decay seemed to indicate that they were dead for quite some time.....most likely before the chuunin exam

[PSJ]

yes, kazekage didnt agree with the attack thats why orochimaru killed him and posed as kazekage to launch a powerful attack on the konoha he hates.

[Death BOO Z]

I think it's the attack methods he didn't agree with, since he had a reason to attack...
he probably didn't want to use the sand as cannon folder to orochimaru's attacking force, and i guess he had problems with the fact that his children will be in so much danger (you know, fatherly love and stuff, he seems to specialize in it...).

[CapsuleCorpJX]

I wouldn't call him the greatest father. He did try to kill his son Gaara.

[Kale Ironfist]

mainly because gaara was showing signs of insanity, which could easily lead to murder, and they didn't need more shinobi dying.

[kuro]

i doubt he would have done anything out of fatherly love...if you can remember the flashbacks of garras past he wasnt the model caring father...

EDIT:

Kale Ironfist:
mainly because gaara was showing signs of insanity, which could easily lead to murder, and they didn't need more shinobi dying.

i hope your not forgeting the reason behind garra's crumbling mental state is shukaku which was sealed in him by his father at the expense of his mothers life. not exactly a caring man...

[Nine Tailed Demon]

Yup, Yes sir!

[Everon]

I think Kazekage was killed before the chuunin exam began. I remember them having a flashback while they're were still in the Hidden Sand Village talking about the waning powers and a plot to destroy the leaves.

This is just speculation, but I think the Kazekage wouldn't want to have anything to do with Orochimaru. Because the sound is a small hidden village (meaning the sand would have to take the most of the attacks), and because Oro wasn't a person to be trusted. I figured that Oro knew this and killed him way before the exam.