Shooting a murder-suicide

Daughters were with Alinda Krason when she was shot twice by boyfriend as she retrieved clothing from couple’s home. Posted: July 15 Updated: Today at 6:54 AM By Terrie Morgan-Beseckertmorgan@timesleader.com Law & Order Reporter NEWPORT TWP. – A Glen Lyon woman who, police say, was the victim of a murder-suicide had planned on leaving her boyfriend and had gone to their home to retrieve clothes when she was fatally shot, family members of the woman said Tuesday. click image to enlarge Alinda Krason holds a photo of her daughter Alinda ‘Lynn’ Krason, seen at right, and granddaughter Heather Tolodzieski. Aimee Dilger/the times leader click image to enlarge Alinda Krason tries to comfort her granddaughter Heather Tolodzieski after Heather talks about her mother with a reporter on Tuesday. Aimee Dilger/the times leader Select images available for purchase in the Times Leader Photo Store Alinda “Lynn” Krason, 40, died at the scene after being shot inside the 47 Coal St. home she shared with her boyfriend, Florencio Gomez. Gomez, 50, then turned the gun on himself, Luzerne County Coroner John Corcoran said. Corcoran ruled Krason’s death a homicide, and Gomez’s death a suicide. Krason had gone to the home around 4 p.m. Monday with her daughters, Heather Tolodzieski, 19, Casandra Tolodzieski, 8, and two friends. Krason was in her bedroom when Gomez shot her twice – once in the neck and once in the head, Heather Tolodzieski said in an interview at her grandmother’s home. “He said ‘Where are you going?’ She said ‘Don’t … worry about it’ and he shot her,” she said, describing the chaotic scene. “I ran to go to her, and he pointed the gun at me and I ran back outside.” Tolodzieski said the argument that led to the shooting began Sunday night, when her mother accused Gomez of stealing money from her. She said Casandra witnessed her mother fall after being shot. One of the women with them then picked up the child and ran out of the house. Family members say Casandra has not shown any outward signs of emotional trauma so far. “I don’t think it’s clicked yet. Eventually it’s going to sink in,” said Krason’s brother, Paul Krason. Alinda Krason had been seeing Gomez since last summer, family members said. The couple had met at the Guardian Health Care Center in Nanticoke, where Krason was a certified nurse’s aide and Gomez had been a patient. Heather Tolodzieski said her mother had initially taken in Gomez because he was suffering from cancer and her mother felt sorry for him. “She figured he was gong to die, so she thought, ‘I’m going to help him live his life,’ and he took her life,” she said. She said her mother began to fear for her safety in March, when Gomez was charged in connection with a domestic dispute. In that incident, Newport Township police said they responded to a 911 hang-up call and found a distraught Krason in the middle of the street. Krason said Gomez had assaulted her and held a knife to her throat, telling her she “was going to die.” Gomez was charged with simple assault, terroristic threats, false imprisonment and other offenses. The charges were dismissed on March 16 after Krason refused to testify at Gomez’s preliminary hearing, said Newport Township Police Chief Robert Impaglia. District Attorney Jacqueline Musto Carroll said police were not able to prosecute the case without Krason’s testimony because Krason was the only witness. “For whatever reason, a woman will say she doesn’t want to go forward, hoping things will get better. Oftentimes, tragically, that’s not what happens,” Musto Carroll said. Impaglia said police advised Krason to obtain a protection from abuse order, but she never followed through. “You wonder if that could have changed anything,” Impaglia said. Heather Tolodzieski and other family members said they don’t know why Krason didn’t leave Gomez after the incident, but suspect it was because she still felt sorry for him. A native of Cuba, he had been in the United States legally for about 15 years, but as far as they know he has no family here. “She had a heart of gold,” said Krason’s mother, also named Alinda. “I told her, he’s going to get cured and live longer than you. He did live two minutes longer, before he shot himself.” Krason said her daughter had worked as a nurse’s aide for about 15 years and loved her job. She was also a big fan of camping. She and friends were scheduled to go on a camping trip later this week. Heather Tolodzieski, who is five months pregnant, said she’s doing her best to deal with the trauma but is having a tough time. She can’t help but think of all her mother is going to miss. “She has a granddaughter she’s never going to see. She was so excited about that,” she said. “I’d give anything to have her back.”