by WABI-TV5 News Desk · Jul 27th 2010 · See more Local News
A State Trooper and a Border Patrol agent were justified when they shot and killed a man in Cyr Plantation back in April. That's according to a report issued Tuesday by the Maine Attorney General's Office.
The report says the officers shot 55-year old Neil Begin once, when Begin leveled a rifle at them. After Begin got up and was still wielding the rifle, officers shot again. Begin died at a Bangor hospital.
Officers originally went to Begin's home to investigate a domestic disturbance. Begin allegedly pointed a loaded rifle at his wife, his adult son, and the son's girlfriend the night before. Begin's blood alcohol content was 0.248 percent, which is more than three times the limit for driving.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Bethel, MO: Waverly man wanted for Missouri shooting found dead
Illinois State Police
Patrick J. McIntire
By CHRIS DETTRO
THE STATE JOURNAL-REGISTER
Posted Jul 26, 2010 @ 09:36 AM
Last update Jul 27, 2010 @ 05:58 AM
An area man wanted for shooting an ex-girlfriend in Missouri on Friday has been found dead of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Shelby County, Mo. sheriff’s department officials said Patrick J. McIntire, 41, of Waverly was found dead Sunday outside a white Ford Explorer he had been driving.
The sheriff’s department was informed about 2:35 p.m. Sunday that the Explorer was parked in a wooded area about nine miles north of Bethel, Mo. which is about 50 miles west of Quincy.
A warrant for McIntire’s arrest was issued after an ex-girlfriend was shot north of Bethel just before noon on Friday. She was taken to a Macon, Mo. hospital.
McIntire was a registered sex offender after having been convicted of the aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a 14-year-old in Macoupin County.
Patrick J. McIntire
By CHRIS DETTRO
THE STATE JOURNAL-REGISTER
Posted Jul 26, 2010 @ 09:36 AM
Last update Jul 27, 2010 @ 05:58 AM
An area man wanted for shooting an ex-girlfriend in Missouri on Friday has been found dead of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Shelby County, Mo. sheriff’s department officials said Patrick J. McIntire, 41, of Waverly was found dead Sunday outside a white Ford Explorer he had been driving.
The sheriff’s department was informed about 2:35 p.m. Sunday that the Explorer was parked in a wooded area about nine miles north of Bethel, Mo. which is about 50 miles west of Quincy.
A warrant for McIntire’s arrest was issued after an ex-girlfriend was shot north of Bethel just before noon on Friday. She was taken to a Macon, Mo. hospital.
McIntire was a registered sex offender after having been convicted of the aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a 14-year-old in Macoupin County.
El Paso, TX: Judge Suppresses Key Evidence In Marmolejo Murder Case
POSTED: 1:06 pm MDT July 27, 2010
EL PASO, Texas -- Late Tuesday morning, Judge Gonzalo Garcia set a jury-selection date in the case of David Marmolejo who is charged in the homicide of his mother.
Garcia set a jury selection date of Oct. 1. He also suppressed all cell phone records in the case. Prosecutors had said in court that records linked Marmolejo to the crime.
Gloria Marmolejo was strangled and then dumped in the desert near Santa Teresa, New Mexico.PrintEmail
EL PASO, Texas -- Late Tuesday morning, Judge Gonzalo Garcia set a jury-selection date in the case of David Marmolejo who is charged in the homicide of his mother.
Garcia set a jury selection date of Oct. 1. He also suppressed all cell phone records in the case. Prosecutors had said in court that records linked Marmolejo to the crime.
Gloria Marmolejo was strangled and then dumped in the desert near Santa Teresa, New Mexico.PrintEmail
Cleveland, OH: Husband of slain family counselor charged
Published: July 27, 2010 at 1:32 PM
CLEVELAND, July 27 (UPI) -- The husband of a Cleveland marriage and family counselor has been charged with murder after the discovery of his wife's body in the couple's home, police said.
Maurice Lyons, 38, was charged with aggravated murder and domestic violence in the stabbing death of Tonya Hunter, 42, Sunday night, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer reported.
Someone dropped Hunter's 4-year-old son on a street corner that night, police said, and the boy later led officer's to his mother's body in the family's garage, the newspaper said.
Lyons, who served prison time in Illinois for aggravated battery, intimidation and vehicular invasion, was arrested Monday after officers spotted his car at a downtown Detroit retail center, police said.
Hunter and Lyons had been married for seven months, and Hunter had applied for a protective order against Lyons after two domestic violence incidents, the Plain Dealer reported.
CLEVELAND, July 27 (UPI) -- The husband of a Cleveland marriage and family counselor has been charged with murder after the discovery of his wife's body in the couple's home, police said.
Maurice Lyons, 38, was charged with aggravated murder and domestic violence in the stabbing death of Tonya Hunter, 42, Sunday night, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer reported.
Someone dropped Hunter's 4-year-old son on a street corner that night, police said, and the boy later led officer's to his mother's body in the family's garage, the newspaper said.
Lyons, who served prison time in Illinois for aggravated battery, intimidation and vehicular invasion, was arrested Monday after officers spotted his car at a downtown Detroit retail center, police said.
Hunter and Lyons had been married for seven months, and Hunter had applied for a protective order against Lyons after two domestic violence incidents, the Plain Dealer reported.
Romeoville, IL: Police: Man bludgeoned wife to death, left body at front door for 10 days
July 27, 2010
Sun-Times Media Wire
A man apparently bludgeoned his wife to death with a hammer, then kept her body behind his front door for 10 days in their home in southwest suburban Romeoville, police said.
John Sadler, 67, of the 1600 block of Benzie Circle, is charged with one count of first-degree murder in the death of his 66-year-old wife Carol, Romeoville Police Assistant Chief Steven Lucchesi said.
Police initially went to the home on Saturday, after a friend of the family told them she had not heard from Carol, Lucchesi said. When police arrived, Salder told them she was in Michigan and would be back on Sunday.
But police were called to the home once again after the couple's daughter, who lives in Texas, called to say she had not heard from her mother since July 13.
Police again went to the home and talked to Sadler, who again said his wife was in Michigan and would be back at 3 p.m, Lucchesi said. Police relayed the message to the daughter, who called back at 5 p.m. to say she was worried and still hadn't heard from her.
It wasn't until police came back for a third time that officers smelled an odor of decay and Sadler refused to let the officers search the home, Lucchesi said.
The case was reviewed and a search warrant was obtained and a cadaver dog from the DuPage County Sheriff's office arrived at the home and gave a positive response to human remains being in the home, Lucchesi said.
Officer’s found the woman's body behind an interior front door, which was not visible from the front porch where officers had spoken to Sadler, Lucchesi said.
Sadler then admitted that he had an argument with his wife 10 days ago and struck her in the head with a hammer, Lucchesi. The argument happened at the front door and Sadler did not move his wife's body for those 10 days.
Although a motive to the slaying was not clear, the couple's daughter told police Sadler may have suffered from a medical condition, Lucchesi said. That, however, remained under investigation.
Sadler is a registered CPA in Romeoville and had no prior arrests, Lucchesi said.
He was being held at the Will County Adult Detention Center in Joliet, pending a bond hearing.
Sun-Times Media Wire
A man apparently bludgeoned his wife to death with a hammer, then kept her body behind his front door for 10 days in their home in southwest suburban Romeoville, police said.
John Sadler, 67, of the 1600 block of Benzie Circle, is charged with one count of first-degree murder in the death of his 66-year-old wife Carol, Romeoville Police Assistant Chief Steven Lucchesi said.
Police initially went to the home on Saturday, after a friend of the family told them she had not heard from Carol, Lucchesi said. When police arrived, Salder told them she was in Michigan and would be back on Sunday.
But police were called to the home once again after the couple's daughter, who lives in Texas, called to say she had not heard from her mother since July 13.
Police again went to the home and talked to Sadler, who again said his wife was in Michigan and would be back at 3 p.m, Lucchesi said. Police relayed the message to the daughter, who called back at 5 p.m. to say she was worried and still hadn't heard from her.
It wasn't until police came back for a third time that officers smelled an odor of decay and Sadler refused to let the officers search the home, Lucchesi said.
The case was reviewed and a search warrant was obtained and a cadaver dog from the DuPage County Sheriff's office arrived at the home and gave a positive response to human remains being in the home, Lucchesi said.
Officer’s found the woman's body behind an interior front door, which was not visible from the front porch where officers had spoken to Sadler, Lucchesi said.
Sadler then admitted that he had an argument with his wife 10 days ago and struck her in the head with a hammer, Lucchesi. The argument happened at the front door and Sadler did not move his wife's body for those 10 days.
Although a motive to the slaying was not clear, the couple's daughter told police Sadler may have suffered from a medical condition, Lucchesi said. That, however, remained under investigation.
Sadler is a registered CPA in Romeoville and had no prior arrests, Lucchesi said.
He was being held at the Will County Adult Detention Center in Joliet, pending a bond hearing.
Forks, WA: Forks, Wash., couple found dead in home
Forks, Wash., couple found dead in home
A man and a woman found dead in a home in the Olympic Peninsula community of Forks have been identified as James and Brenda Grant.
FORKS, Wash. —
A man and a woman found dead in a home in the Olympic Peninsula community of Forks have been identified as James and Brenda Grant.
Clallam County sheriff's Detective Lyman Moores says investigators believe Grant shot his wife and then himself.
Police responded to the home at about 6 a.m. Monday when a friend of James Grant called 911 after receiving a text message from the man. According to investigators, the message said, "You'll hate me. Please take the two kids and raise them right."
A 10-year-old boy and a younger girl ran unhurt from the house about 11 a.m. as Washington State Patrol SWAT officers prepared to enter.
Mayor Bryon Monohon says the family is well-known in Forks. James Grant reportedly was hired last week as a corrections officer at Clallam Bay Corrections Center.
A man and a woman found dead in a home in the Olympic Peninsula community of Forks have been identified as James and Brenda Grant.
FORKS, Wash. —
A man and a woman found dead in a home in the Olympic Peninsula community of Forks have been identified as James and Brenda Grant.
Clallam County sheriff's Detective Lyman Moores says investigators believe Grant shot his wife and then himself.
Police responded to the home at about 6 a.m. Monday when a friend of James Grant called 911 after receiving a text message from the man. According to investigators, the message said, "You'll hate me. Please take the two kids and raise them right."
A 10-year-old boy and a younger girl ran unhurt from the house about 11 a.m. as Washington State Patrol SWAT officers prepared to enter.
Mayor Bryon Monohon says the family is well-known in Forks. James Grant reportedly was hired last week as a corrections officer at Clallam Bay Corrections Center.
Binghampton, NY: Evidence on Display in the Kenyon Murder Trial
Binghamton, NY (WBNG Binghamton) - Prosecutors in the trial of William Kenyon show items that may prove the cause of his girlfriend's death.
The Johnson City man is on trial for murder in Broome County Court.
Action News Reporter Brennan Smith was there and has an update on the testimony.
49 year old William Kenyon is accused of killing his girlfriend Kelly Westcott.
Prosecutors shared two collections of evidence with the jury.
First, the testimony of Doctor Terzian who performed the autopsy on Wescott, and second, photographs and samples of evidence.
Westcott died in June of last year.
Doctor Terzian says that Wescott was killed by asphyxiation, most likely while lying on her back.
She was wearing a necklace at the time of her death.
When asked if she was choked with the necklace, Terzian only said there was a sign of a struggle.
He did not rule the cause as asphyxiation by strangulation though.
Aside from marks on her neck, there were no other signs of trauma.
Terzian did find traces of alcohol, cocaine, and other drugs in Wescott's blood.
During the rest of the day, jurors saw pictures of evidence taken from the crime scene at Wescott's apartment, including pictures of cuts on Kenyon's arms, articles of clothing, a chair leg which was found on the bed, and even a steak knife that was left on the floor.
Experts confirmed that traces of blood were found on some of the clothes, the knife, and other areas of the house.
At the live desk, Brennan Smith, Action News.
The Johnson City man is on trial for murder in Broome County Court.
Action News Reporter Brennan Smith was there and has an update on the testimony.
49 year old William Kenyon is accused of killing his girlfriend Kelly Westcott.
Prosecutors shared two collections of evidence with the jury.
First, the testimony of Doctor Terzian who performed the autopsy on Wescott, and second, photographs and samples of evidence.
Westcott died in June of last year.
Doctor Terzian says that Wescott was killed by asphyxiation, most likely while lying on her back.
She was wearing a necklace at the time of her death.
When asked if she was choked with the necklace, Terzian only said there was a sign of a struggle.
He did not rule the cause as asphyxiation by strangulation though.
Aside from marks on her neck, there were no other signs of trauma.
Terzian did find traces of alcohol, cocaine, and other drugs in Wescott's blood.
During the rest of the day, jurors saw pictures of evidence taken from the crime scene at Wescott's apartment, including pictures of cuts on Kenyon's arms, articles of clothing, a chair leg which was found on the bed, and even a steak knife that was left on the floor.
Experts confirmed that traces of blood were found on some of the clothes, the knife, and other areas of the house.
At the live desk, Brennan Smith, Action News.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Kingman, AZ: Attorney quits murder suspect's case
Glazer, citing a conflict of interest, says he can't defend Ketchner
KINGMAN - The capital murder case against Darrell Ketchner suffered a setback this week after the 52-year-old defendant's lawyer pulled out of the case.
Flagstaff attorney Stephen Glazer told the court Friday that he can no longer represent Ketchner because of a conflict of interest. Glazer said he could not disclose what the conflict is, because doing so would violate attorney-client privilege.
Ketchner is still being represented by Prescott attorney John Napper, who said that efforts are underway to find a replacement for Glazer. He said he already has a person in mind and hopes to have them onboard within the next few weeks.
Mohave County Prosecutor Megan McCoy said the state took no position on Glazer's withdrawal, except to say that the delay was frustrating.
Judge Rick Williams said it was not unusual for conflicts such as these to arise during preparation for a case. He added that it was important to balance the defendant's right to counsel with the victims' rights to a speedy trial.
Ketchner is charged with attacking his estranged girlfriend, Jennifer Allison, after she and her children had returned from a fireworks display July 4, 2009. Allison was shot in the head but survived. Her daughter, 18-year-old Ariel Allison, was stabbed several times and died at the scene. Several other children in the home escaped injury.
Ketchner has waived his appearance at all non-substantive court hearings and was not in court Friday.
Napper said that his client has been unable to contact members of his defense team because an inmate being housed in the same high-security pod at the Mohave County Jail continues breaking the phone that the inmates have access to. Napper said he understood that there was nothing the court could do about the situation, but said that Ketchner asked him to make a statement on the record about the matter.
The state is seeking the death penalty in the case.
KINGMAN - The capital murder case against Darrell Ketchner suffered a setback this week after the 52-year-old defendant's lawyer pulled out of the case.
Flagstaff attorney Stephen Glazer told the court Friday that he can no longer represent Ketchner because of a conflict of interest. Glazer said he could not disclose what the conflict is, because doing so would violate attorney-client privilege.
Ketchner is still being represented by Prescott attorney John Napper, who said that efforts are underway to find a replacement for Glazer. He said he already has a person in mind and hopes to have them onboard within the next few weeks.
Mohave County Prosecutor Megan McCoy said the state took no position on Glazer's withdrawal, except to say that the delay was frustrating.
Judge Rick Williams said it was not unusual for conflicts such as these to arise during preparation for a case. He added that it was important to balance the defendant's right to counsel with the victims' rights to a speedy trial.
Ketchner is charged with attacking his estranged girlfriend, Jennifer Allison, after she and her children had returned from a fireworks display July 4, 2009. Allison was shot in the head but survived. Her daughter, 18-year-old Ariel Allison, was stabbed several times and died at the scene. Several other children in the home escaped injury.
Ketchner has waived his appearance at all non-substantive court hearings and was not in court Friday.
Napper said that his client has been unable to contact members of his defense team because an inmate being housed in the same high-security pod at the Mohave County Jail continues breaking the phone that the inmates have access to. Napper said he understood that there was nothing the court could do about the situation, but said that Ketchner asked him to make a statement on the record about the matter.
The state is seeking the death penalty in the case.
Walterboro, SC: SC Woman Killed, Husband Apparently Wounds Himself,
WALTERBORO, S.C. (AP) South Carolina sheriff's deputies say a man shot and killed his wife and then wounded himself at their home. The Post and Courier of Charleston reported that 57-year-old Rose Meyers of Lodge was found dead at her
WALTERBORO, S.C. (AP) South Carolina sheriff's deputies say a man shot and killed his wife and then wounded himself at their home.
The Post and Courier of Charleston reported that 57-year-old Rose Meyers of Lodge was found dead at her Colleton County home early Sunday.
Deputies say 51-year-old Eli Marc Meyers is hospitalized with a gunshot wound to the neck.
Chief Deputy Ted Stanfield says Eli Meyers called 911 about 5:15 a.m. Sunday saying he had shot his wife and shot himself.
Sheriff George Malone says investigators found two guns in the home but think both shots came from a single weapon. Investigators found a note at the scene but were working to determine who wrote it.
WALTERBORO, S.C. (AP) South Carolina sheriff's deputies say a man shot and killed his wife and then wounded himself at their home.
The Post and Courier of Charleston reported that 57-year-old Rose Meyers of Lodge was found dead at her Colleton County home early Sunday.
Deputies say 51-year-old Eli Marc Meyers is hospitalized with a gunshot wound to the neck.
Chief Deputy Ted Stanfield says Eli Meyers called 911 about 5:15 a.m. Sunday saying he had shot his wife and shot himself.
Sheriff George Malone says investigators found two guns in the home but think both shots came from a single weapon. Investigators found a note at the scene but were working to determine who wrote it.
Erie, PA: Woman shot, killed in Erie
By DANA MASSING
dana.massing@timesnews.com
A woman is dead and her boyfriend jailed after a weekend shooting on Erie's west side.
The victim's name wasn't released Sunday.
The man, Mark A. Warner, 35, was being held in Erie County Prison on charges including homicide.
The shooting happened Sunday a little after 3:30 a.m. at 523 W. 17th St.
A call about a female who wasn't breathing came in to the Erie County 911 Center at 3:34 a.m., a dispatcher said.
Erie police said the shooting appears to have occurred during a domestic dispute between a boyfriend and girlfriend. Police believe the woman was killed in the driveway of the house, where they said Warner lived upstairs.
He was located later Sunday in a car in Cambridge Springs, Erie police said.
Warner was taken into custody by state police from Meadville and brought to Erie, where he was charged and then arraigned by Erie 4th Ward District Judge Tom Robie, authorities said.
Details about Warner's arrest weren't available from state police.
Besides homicide, Warner was charged with assault, recklessly endangering another person and possessing an instrument of crime, police said.
An autopsy was performed on the woman Sunday, Erie County Coroner Lyell Cook said.
He said she suffered a single gunshot wound. Cook wouldn't say where on her body the woman was shot.
The coroner also wouldn't release her name, pending notification of family, or other details about the shooting.
"Police are still working on it," Cook said Sunday.
Erie police were releasing little information, although they had remained at the house throughout the day and had obtained a search warrant for it Sunday afternoon.
Two police cruisers were parked in front while investigators searched inside and out.
Yellow crime tape stretched across the front and back of a driveway to a residence on the west side. Police were examining several areas, including around a tow truck parked near the rear of the house.
Neighbors outside across the street said they hadn't seen or heard anything when the shooting happened.
Cook said the victim died at the scene of the shooting and was pronounced dead Sunday at 4:40 a.m. by Erie County Deputy Coroner Dennis Suscheck.
Cook said he will be meeting today with police and Erie County District Attorney Jack Daneri and that more information will likely be available after that.
DANA MASSING can be reached at 870-1729 or by e-mail.
dana.massing@timesnews.com
A woman is dead and her boyfriend jailed after a weekend shooting on Erie's west side.
The victim's name wasn't released Sunday.
The man, Mark A. Warner, 35, was being held in Erie County Prison on charges including homicide.
The shooting happened Sunday a little after 3:30 a.m. at 523 W. 17th St.
A call about a female who wasn't breathing came in to the Erie County 911 Center at 3:34 a.m., a dispatcher said.
Erie police said the shooting appears to have occurred during a domestic dispute between a boyfriend and girlfriend. Police believe the woman was killed in the driveway of the house, where they said Warner lived upstairs.
He was located later Sunday in a car in Cambridge Springs, Erie police said.
Warner was taken into custody by state police from Meadville and brought to Erie, where he was charged and then arraigned by Erie 4th Ward District Judge Tom Robie, authorities said.
Details about Warner's arrest weren't available from state police.
Besides homicide, Warner was charged with assault, recklessly endangering another person and possessing an instrument of crime, police said.
An autopsy was performed on the woman Sunday, Erie County Coroner Lyell Cook said.
He said she suffered a single gunshot wound. Cook wouldn't say where on her body the woman was shot.
The coroner also wouldn't release her name, pending notification of family, or other details about the shooting.
"Police are still working on it," Cook said Sunday.
Erie police were releasing little information, although they had remained at the house throughout the day and had obtained a search warrant for it Sunday afternoon.
Two police cruisers were parked in front while investigators searched inside and out.
Yellow crime tape stretched across the front and back of a driveway to a residence on the west side. Police were examining several areas, including around a tow truck parked near the rear of the house.
Neighbors outside across the street said they hadn't seen or heard anything when the shooting happened.
Cook said the victim died at the scene of the shooting and was pronounced dead Sunday at 4:40 a.m. by Erie County Deputy Coroner Dennis Suscheck.
Cook said he will be meeting today with police and Erie County District Attorney Jack Daneri and that more information will likely be available after that.
DANA MASSING can be reached at 870-1729 or by e-mail.
Essex, VT: Essex E.S. shooting target speaks to Darren Perron
Essex, Vermont - July 26, 2010
Four years after gunfire erupted at the Essex Elementary School the intended target is speaking out for the first time.
Christopher Williams entered the school looking for his girlfriend, Andrea Lambesis. He didn't find her, but he did find two other teachers. He shot both, killing one of them.
Before the school shooting Williams shot two other people, including Lambesis' mother, who was killed at her home in Essex. Andrea tells Channel 3 News about the horrifying day that changed her life and took her mom away.
"She was funny, loving, accepting of everyone, an amazing teacher and the best mom ever," Lambesis says.
Hear more from Andrea Lambesis, including how the family is honoring their mother's memory, in an exclusive interview with Darren Perron tonight on the Channel 3 News at 6.
Four years after gunfire erupted at the Essex Elementary School the intended target is speaking out for the first time.
Christopher Williams entered the school looking for his girlfriend, Andrea Lambesis. He didn't find her, but he did find two other teachers. He shot both, killing one of them.
Before the school shooting Williams shot two other people, including Lambesis' mother, who was killed at her home in Essex. Andrea tells Channel 3 News about the horrifying day that changed her life and took her mom away.
"She was funny, loving, accepting of everyone, an amazing teacher and the best mom ever," Lambesis says.
Hear more from Andrea Lambesis, including how the family is honoring their mother's memory, in an exclusive interview with Darren Perron tonight on the Channel 3 News at 6.
Shelby County, MO: Shooting suspect found dead
by Lindsey Boetsch
SHELBY COUNTY, MO. -- The man suspected of shooting his girlfriend in the eye was found dead Sunday afternoon.
The Shelby County Sheriff's Office found the body of Patrick McIntire outside his white Ford Explorer in the back of a wood lot off County Road 179.
Cause of death appears to be self inflicted gunshot wound.
McIntire was pronounced dead at 3:40 p.m. by Shelby County Coroner Ralph Eagan
SHELBY COUNTY, MO. -- The man suspected of shooting his girlfriend in the eye was found dead Sunday afternoon.
The Shelby County Sheriff's Office found the body of Patrick McIntire outside his white Ford Explorer in the back of a wood lot off County Road 179.
Cause of death appears to be self inflicted gunshot wound.
McIntire was pronounced dead at 3:40 p.m. by Shelby County Coroner Ralph Eagan
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Garfield Park, IL: Garfield Park man dies after being doused in gasoline
July 25, 2010
Sun-Times Media Wire
A Garfield Park man succumbed to his injuries suffered earlier this month when his girlfriend allegedly doused him in gasoline and lit him on fire.
Allen Penny, 61, of the 3100 block of West Washington Boulevard has died after his girlfriend allegedly lit him on fire July 2 after he refused to give her money, police News Affairs Officer Ron Gaines said.
Lisa Baywood, 42, set her boyfriend on fire in the first-floor apartment the on-and-off couple shared in the 3100 block of Washington Boulevard, assistant state’s attorney Lorraine Scaduto said at her bond hearing earlier this month.
Baywood, who is also known as Sherry Ann Hartison and Lisa Hartison, was charged with attempted murder, aggravated arson, heinous battery and aggravated domestic battery.
Baywood, who has been previously convicted of prostitution, had just come home at 3 a.m. on July 2 after “working the streets” when she attacked her boyfriend who used a cane to walk, Scaduto said.
Baywood told authorities she expected her boyfriend to give her $150 to $200 from his monthly retirement and disability checks so she could pay her phone bill and buy other items, Scaduto said.
But the man would “play games” with her and refused to give her the money in a lump sum, angering her, Scaduto said.
Sixty-five percent of Penny’s body was burned, Scaduto said. Penny died from his injuries at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's office.
It was unknown if Baywood would face upgraded charges for Penny’s death, police said.
Sun-Times Media Wire
A Garfield Park man succumbed to his injuries suffered earlier this month when his girlfriend allegedly doused him in gasoline and lit him on fire.
Allen Penny, 61, of the 3100 block of West Washington Boulevard has died after his girlfriend allegedly lit him on fire July 2 after he refused to give her money, police News Affairs Officer Ron Gaines said.
Lisa Baywood, 42, set her boyfriend on fire in the first-floor apartment the on-and-off couple shared in the 3100 block of Washington Boulevard, assistant state’s attorney Lorraine Scaduto said at her bond hearing earlier this month.
Baywood, who is also known as Sherry Ann Hartison and Lisa Hartison, was charged with attempted murder, aggravated arson, heinous battery and aggravated domestic battery.
Baywood, who has been previously convicted of prostitution, had just come home at 3 a.m. on July 2 after “working the streets” when she attacked her boyfriend who used a cane to walk, Scaduto said.
Baywood told authorities she expected her boyfriend to give her $150 to $200 from his monthly retirement and disability checks so she could pay her phone bill and buy other items, Scaduto said.
But the man would “play games” with her and refused to give her the money in a lump sum, angering her, Scaduto said.
Sixty-five percent of Penny’s body was burned, Scaduto said. Penny died from his injuries at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's office.
It was unknown if Baywood would face upgraded charges for Penny’s death, police said.
Jackson Township, PA: Suspect in cop assault killed state trooper dad
BY BOB KALINOWSKI | STAFF WRITER)
Published: July 25, 2010
When Kenneth Schweiss was accused of beating a police officer recently at his Jackson Township home, it triggered a flashback to another violent confrontation he had with a cop 50 years ago.
A Jackson Township police sergeant left in an ambulance after his July 6 encounter with Schweiss.
On Nov. 20, 1960, Schweiss's state trooper father was carried away in a body bag.
Schweiss, then a 17-year-old high school senior, killed his father at the family's Huntsville Road home in Dallas Borough, shooting him in the head, chest and shoulder in an ambush as the elder Schweiss returned home, according to newspaper archives.
Schweiss spent more than seven years in prison. He lived the next 43 without a brush with the law.
Now, at age 66, Schweiss finds himself facing prison time again for another assault on an officer of the law.
After his release from prison, Schweiss married, raised a family and found steady employment until retirement from an area manufacturing facility several years ago. Many say he mostly kept a low profile - his dark past a closely guarded secret to neighbors who lived by him for decades.
His recent arrest ended his relative anonymity and put him in the public eye again.
Police charged Schweiss with injuring and threatening to kill Jackson Township police Sgt. Scott Davis in a July 6 attack when Davis arrived to investigate a domestic dispute at Schweiss's Jesse Road home around 5 p.m.
Davis was treated at a local hospital for a badly sprained wrist and injuries to the face and head.
See MURDER, page A11
Schweiss and family members dispute many of the recent allegations, and say the police wrongly portrayed him as some sort of monster. The past, they say, should be left in the past.
Memories of murder
For longtime residents on Huntsville Road, painful memories have resurfaced about the day a veteran lawman, Trooper Kurt Schweiss, 45, was slain at his home, just a few feet from Dallas Elementary School and its playground.
"We heard the shots. I looked out and remember seeing him fall down on the ground. We all started screaming," said a former neighbor of the Schweiss family who was 11 years old when the crime occurred.
The woman, now 61, spoke only on the condition her name not be printed, saying her family was haunted long enough by the tragedy and doesn't want to be publicly linked to it once again.
Her father was the first person to arrive at the Schweiss family home.
"He went down to see what happened and to see what he could do. Kenny told him to come in and he handed him the gun. He sat with Kenny and talked to him until the police came. He liked Kenny. He couldn't understand. Kenny was just one of us. He was part of the neighborhood. Would I ever expect him to do that? No. You don't know what makes people do things."
Newspaper accounts say Schweiss and his father had been feuding over his poor grades, which did not support the elder Schweiss's dreams of his son attending one of the U.S. military academies. Schweiss told police his dad had been "overly critical."
Police said Schweiss waited for his father to return home from target shooting at the Irem Temple Country Club and opened fire as he walked into the kitchen door. Trooper Schweiss dropped dead, half his body falling forward into the kitchen.
Schweiss eventually was convicted of third-degree murder and sentenced to seven to 20 years in state prison. He served the minimum jail term.
Over the decades since, the former neighbor said she often wondered what happened to Schweiss. Then, she was shocked to see his mug shot splashed over local newspapers after the recent alleged assault.
"I saw his picture. I was like, 'Oh, my God, look at this.' I was totally shocked. It was like someone out of the past. I wasn't even sure if he was still around."
Schweiss speaks out
To this day, Schweiss claims self-defense.
In a recent telephone call, Schweiss said he didn't want to talk about the case. But he kept answering questions.
"The biggest part of my defense was I got beat on a daily basis," Schweiss said.
Schweiss said his father, described in newspaper archives as an expert marksman, shot at him first, but missed.
"He shot at me and I shot at him," Schweiss said.
Schweiss said he would have beaten the murder rap if it wasn't an election year in 1960. The district attorney at the time, the late Stephen Teller, was running for re-election and was "bound and determined" to get a conviction for a cop's death despite evidence it was self-defense, Schweiss said.
In regard to the recent case, Schweiss said much of the information provided by police is false or blown out of proportion. He considered the incident more like a "home invasion," even though arrest papers say the alleged domestic violence victim told police to enter the residence.
"It was twisted in 1960 and it's twisted now," Schweiss said.
Schweiss referred further comment to his attorney Demetrius Fannick.
Fannick said he knows little about the 1960 case and the current case is his concern.
"It appears the matter arose out of a misunderstanding and the parties are trying to work through it," Fannick said.
Fannick said he and Schweiss will continue to plan to defend the charges in county court.
Schweiss faces one count each of aggravated assault on a police officer, simple assault and resisting arrest and two counts of terroristic threats. He recently waived his right to a preliminary hearing in the case, forwarding it to county court.
Luzerne County Assistant District Attorney Richard Hughes said he, too, was unfamiliar with the 1960 case and noted the current case is the one that matters now.
"I didn't know about it, frankly," Hughes said of the old case. "I'm focused on the current charges. If there is a time it plays a role for sentencing, that's something that we'll look at down the road. I know this is a case of simple assault, domestic abuse and an aggravated assault on a police officer who was trying to do his job. I intend to prosecute it vehemently."
The current case
On July 6, 2010, police were dispatched to Schweiss' Jesse Road home for a 911 hang-up call. When Sgt. Scott Davis arrived, a bloodied woman emerged. He asked if she was OK and she told him to come inside.
Arrest papers detail how Schweiss allegedly attacked Davis without provocation:
As Davis walked through a hallway, Schweiss appeared and pushed Davis backward. He then punched Davis twice in the side of the head and threatened to kill him if he didn't leave the home.
Davis called for backup and Schweiss continued to attack. As they struggled, they fell to the ground. Schweiss landed on Davis' left wrist. The injury immobilized the wrist.
A neighbor, township supervisor John J. Wilkes, then arrived to help after hearing Schweiss's threats to kill Davis. Wilkes helped Davis place Schweiss into custody.
Police said Schweiss continued to make death threats against the police and Wilkes.
Schweiss's wife, Gay, later told police Schweiss was drinking all day and was intoxicated when she arrived home. She said he took the household bills off a table and threw them in a fire outside.
When she tried to stop him, he pushed her to the ground, causing bleeding cuts to her left forearm and elbows. He told her the only way to get him away from her was to call 911. She did.
A son's defense
Schweiss's son, Randy, 38, called The Citizens' Voice on Friday to defend his father and say the allegations against him were uncharacteristic.
"So far, all you have done is portray my father as a horrible person. The father I know is a kind, loving and compassionate father. He still is today," he said.
Schweiss has three sisters, who were 13, 10, and 7 when the murder occurred. They still live locally, but did not respond to attempts to reach them for comment.
Randy Schweiss, of Kingston, said his father was a good man who had a solid relationship with his family. He questioned the need for people to bring up the past incident, which occurred before he was born, and noted his father avoided any kind of trouble for more than four decades. The younger Schweiss questioned the recent allegations levied by police and said there is likely more to the story.
"My father is a stand-up, law-abiding citizen. The Ken Schweiss I know has been nothing but a loving father to me for 38 years."
bkalinowski@citizensvoice.com, 570-821-2055
Published: July 25, 2010
When Kenneth Schweiss was accused of beating a police officer recently at his Jackson Township home, it triggered a flashback to another violent confrontation he had with a cop 50 years ago.
A Jackson Township police sergeant left in an ambulance after his July 6 encounter with Schweiss.
On Nov. 20, 1960, Schweiss's state trooper father was carried away in a body bag.
Schweiss, then a 17-year-old high school senior, killed his father at the family's Huntsville Road home in Dallas Borough, shooting him in the head, chest and shoulder in an ambush as the elder Schweiss returned home, according to newspaper archives.
Schweiss spent more than seven years in prison. He lived the next 43 without a brush with the law.
Now, at age 66, Schweiss finds himself facing prison time again for another assault on an officer of the law.
After his release from prison, Schweiss married, raised a family and found steady employment until retirement from an area manufacturing facility several years ago. Many say he mostly kept a low profile - his dark past a closely guarded secret to neighbors who lived by him for decades.
His recent arrest ended his relative anonymity and put him in the public eye again.
Police charged Schweiss with injuring and threatening to kill Jackson Township police Sgt. Scott Davis in a July 6 attack when Davis arrived to investigate a domestic dispute at Schweiss's Jesse Road home around 5 p.m.
Davis was treated at a local hospital for a badly sprained wrist and injuries to the face and head.
See MURDER, page A11
Schweiss and family members dispute many of the recent allegations, and say the police wrongly portrayed him as some sort of monster. The past, they say, should be left in the past.
Memories of murder
For longtime residents on Huntsville Road, painful memories have resurfaced about the day a veteran lawman, Trooper Kurt Schweiss, 45, was slain at his home, just a few feet from Dallas Elementary School and its playground.
"We heard the shots. I looked out and remember seeing him fall down on the ground. We all started screaming," said a former neighbor of the Schweiss family who was 11 years old when the crime occurred.
The woman, now 61, spoke only on the condition her name not be printed, saying her family was haunted long enough by the tragedy and doesn't want to be publicly linked to it once again.
Her father was the first person to arrive at the Schweiss family home.
"He went down to see what happened and to see what he could do. Kenny told him to come in and he handed him the gun. He sat with Kenny and talked to him until the police came. He liked Kenny. He couldn't understand. Kenny was just one of us. He was part of the neighborhood. Would I ever expect him to do that? No. You don't know what makes people do things."
Newspaper accounts say Schweiss and his father had been feuding over his poor grades, which did not support the elder Schweiss's dreams of his son attending one of the U.S. military academies. Schweiss told police his dad had been "overly critical."
Police said Schweiss waited for his father to return home from target shooting at the Irem Temple Country Club and opened fire as he walked into the kitchen door. Trooper Schweiss dropped dead, half his body falling forward into the kitchen.
Schweiss eventually was convicted of third-degree murder and sentenced to seven to 20 years in state prison. He served the minimum jail term.
Over the decades since, the former neighbor said she often wondered what happened to Schweiss. Then, she was shocked to see his mug shot splashed over local newspapers after the recent alleged assault.
"I saw his picture. I was like, 'Oh, my God, look at this.' I was totally shocked. It was like someone out of the past. I wasn't even sure if he was still around."
Schweiss speaks out
To this day, Schweiss claims self-defense.
In a recent telephone call, Schweiss said he didn't want to talk about the case. But he kept answering questions.
"The biggest part of my defense was I got beat on a daily basis," Schweiss said.
Schweiss said his father, described in newspaper archives as an expert marksman, shot at him first, but missed.
"He shot at me and I shot at him," Schweiss said.
Schweiss said he would have beaten the murder rap if it wasn't an election year in 1960. The district attorney at the time, the late Stephen Teller, was running for re-election and was "bound and determined" to get a conviction for a cop's death despite evidence it was self-defense, Schweiss said.
In regard to the recent case, Schweiss said much of the information provided by police is false or blown out of proportion. He considered the incident more like a "home invasion," even though arrest papers say the alleged domestic violence victim told police to enter the residence.
"It was twisted in 1960 and it's twisted now," Schweiss said.
Schweiss referred further comment to his attorney Demetrius Fannick.
Fannick said he knows little about the 1960 case and the current case is his concern.
"It appears the matter arose out of a misunderstanding and the parties are trying to work through it," Fannick said.
Fannick said he and Schweiss will continue to plan to defend the charges in county court.
Schweiss faces one count each of aggravated assault on a police officer, simple assault and resisting arrest and two counts of terroristic threats. He recently waived his right to a preliminary hearing in the case, forwarding it to county court.
Luzerne County Assistant District Attorney Richard Hughes said he, too, was unfamiliar with the 1960 case and noted the current case is the one that matters now.
"I didn't know about it, frankly," Hughes said of the old case. "I'm focused on the current charges. If there is a time it plays a role for sentencing, that's something that we'll look at down the road. I know this is a case of simple assault, domestic abuse and an aggravated assault on a police officer who was trying to do his job. I intend to prosecute it vehemently."
The current case
On July 6, 2010, police were dispatched to Schweiss' Jesse Road home for a 911 hang-up call. When Sgt. Scott Davis arrived, a bloodied woman emerged. He asked if she was OK and she told him to come inside.
Arrest papers detail how Schweiss allegedly attacked Davis without provocation:
As Davis walked through a hallway, Schweiss appeared and pushed Davis backward. He then punched Davis twice in the side of the head and threatened to kill him if he didn't leave the home.
Davis called for backup and Schweiss continued to attack. As they struggled, they fell to the ground. Schweiss landed on Davis' left wrist. The injury immobilized the wrist.
A neighbor, township supervisor John J. Wilkes, then arrived to help after hearing Schweiss's threats to kill Davis. Wilkes helped Davis place Schweiss into custody.
Police said Schweiss continued to make death threats against the police and Wilkes.
Schweiss's wife, Gay, later told police Schweiss was drinking all day and was intoxicated when she arrived home. She said he took the household bills off a table and threw them in a fire outside.
When she tried to stop him, he pushed her to the ground, causing bleeding cuts to her left forearm and elbows. He told her the only way to get him away from her was to call 911. She did.
A son's defense
Schweiss's son, Randy, 38, called The Citizens' Voice on Friday to defend his father and say the allegations against him were uncharacteristic.
"So far, all you have done is portray my father as a horrible person. The father I know is a kind, loving and compassionate father. He still is today," he said.
Schweiss has three sisters, who were 13, 10, and 7 when the murder occurred. They still live locally, but did not respond to attempts to reach them for comment.
Randy Schweiss, of Kingston, said his father was a good man who had a solid relationship with his family. He questioned the need for people to bring up the past incident, which occurred before he was born, and noted his father avoided any kind of trouble for more than four decades. The younger Schweiss questioned the recent allegations levied by police and said there is likely more to the story.
"My father is a stand-up, law-abiding citizen. The Ken Schweiss I know has been nothing but a loving father to me for 38 years."
bkalinowski@citizensvoice.com, 570-821-2055
Taylor, MI: Suspect in officer's killing has a long criminal history
Saturday, July 24, 2010
By Rene Cizio, Nate Stemen & Jason Alley
TAYLOR — The Police Department suffered the ultimate loss Friday morning when one of its own was killed in the line of duty.
Cpl. Matthew Edwards, 31, a decorated officer, was fatally shot at about 6 a.m. while responding to a call of a breaking and entering at Coppertree Apartments, near North Line and Telegraph roads.
Edwards began speaking in the parking lot with a 36-year-old Westland man who allegedly was trying to break into an apartment through a window.
Witnesses said they saw the man pull out a gun and shoot Edwards at close range.
Edwards’ partner returned fire, wounding the man, who police have identified as Tyress Mathews.
Mathews has a long criminal history, having most recently been discharged from prison in September after serving three years for fleeing from a police officer.
Prior to that, he served 12 years behind bars after taking a plea deal to three counts of assault with the intent to murder and one count of armed robbery. He was released from prison on that case in January 2004.
After Friday's shooting, Edwards and Mathews were both taken to Oakwood Hospital & Medical Center in Dearborn, which is the nearest trauma center. Edwards was pronounced dead a short time later. Mathews was said to be undergoing surgery Friday afternoon and is expected to survive. He could be arraigned on murder charges as early as Saturday, police said.
Edwards joined the force in January 2005. He was chosen as the department’s officer of the year in 2008 by the Police Officers Association of Michigan.
He is survived by his wife, Shannon, and their two young children.
During a press conference at City Hall, police Cmdr. Dan Crowell held back tears as he said it was a very sad day for the department.
Crowell said Edwards and his partner were responding to a breaking-and-entering call in the 12400 block of Pine Street in the Coppertree complex.
The call was made by a resident in another apartment who told police she saw a man trying to climb though a neighbor’s window.
When the officers arrived, they saw Mathews, who fit the description given by the witness, in the parking lot. Police said Mathews knew the people who lived in the apartment.
“We believe it might have stemmed more from a domestic violence than a home invasion,” Crowell said.
Several neighbors said Mathews is married to the woman in the apartment he was trying to enter and that they have a long history of domestic violence. They said the two also have a child.
Keta Holmes, a neighbor, said the situation started at about 2:30 a.m. and went on for hours.
“He was banging on his wife’s door and she wouldn’t let him in and he was in his car calling her on his phone for about three hours,” she said.
Holmes said Mathews had a book bag in his hands and police asked him to put it down. Holmes said that as he put it down, Mathews reached inside and pulled out a gun.
Holmes said Edwards went down and his partner began firing. She said several shots were fired, there was a pause and then another five to seven rounds were fired.
Another neighbor, Jernee Bates, said he also saw the book bag.
Bates said Edwards asked Mathews what was in the bag. The man bent down to the bag and that’s when Bates heard a “pop” noise.
“He came out with a gun and shot (Edwards) in the head,” Bates said.
Bates said Mathews was still shooting while he was shot before he finally dropped the gun.
Another neighbor, Ricky Jones, said the suspect ran about 100 yards before falling.
Jones said he looked out of his window and saw blood on Mathews and a police officer standing over him with his gun drawn.
“It sounded like Vietnam, like I was back in the war,” Jones said.
Ernest Allen, who also lives near the shooting site, said he heard about a dozen shots.
“It woke me up, and I heard about a good 10 or 12 gunshots,” he said. “I wasn’t really sure what happened.”
Neighbors said crime has been rampant lately at the apartment complex, which has a long history of violence.
Another neighbor said she recently posted a notice on her door alerting visitors that everyone in her apartment was legally armed.
Crowell did not confirm a problem with violence at the apartments, but said, “We’ve had our incidents at that complex.”
Police said they were interviewing several witnesses.
Crowell said Edwards made the ultimate sacrifice.
“It’s something we sometimes take for granted when we put on our uniforms every day,” he said. “As law enforcement officers, we all expect to go home at night to our families.”
It is the first time an officer has been killed in the line of duty in department history. Flags were lowered to half staff at the municipal complex, which includes the police station and main fire station. Officers wore black bands around their badges.
A police chaplain was on site Friday to counsel grieving officers.
Michigan State Police are assisting in the investigation.
By Rene Cizio, Nate Stemen & Jason Alley
TAYLOR — The Police Department suffered the ultimate loss Friday morning when one of its own was killed in the line of duty.
Cpl. Matthew Edwards, 31, a decorated officer, was fatally shot at about 6 a.m. while responding to a call of a breaking and entering at Coppertree Apartments, near North Line and Telegraph roads.
Edwards began speaking in the parking lot with a 36-year-old Westland man who allegedly was trying to break into an apartment through a window.
Witnesses said they saw the man pull out a gun and shoot Edwards at close range.
Edwards’ partner returned fire, wounding the man, who police have identified as Tyress Mathews.
Mathews has a long criminal history, having most recently been discharged from prison in September after serving three years for fleeing from a police officer.
Prior to that, he served 12 years behind bars after taking a plea deal to three counts of assault with the intent to murder and one count of armed robbery. He was released from prison on that case in January 2004.
After Friday's shooting, Edwards and Mathews were both taken to Oakwood Hospital & Medical Center in Dearborn, which is the nearest trauma center. Edwards was pronounced dead a short time later. Mathews was said to be undergoing surgery Friday afternoon and is expected to survive. He could be arraigned on murder charges as early as Saturday, police said.
Edwards joined the force in January 2005. He was chosen as the department’s officer of the year in 2008 by the Police Officers Association of Michigan.
He is survived by his wife, Shannon, and their two young children.
During a press conference at City Hall, police Cmdr. Dan Crowell held back tears as he said it was a very sad day for the department.
Crowell said Edwards and his partner were responding to a breaking-and-entering call in the 12400 block of Pine Street in the Coppertree complex.
The call was made by a resident in another apartment who told police she saw a man trying to climb though a neighbor’s window.
When the officers arrived, they saw Mathews, who fit the description given by the witness, in the parking lot. Police said Mathews knew the people who lived in the apartment.
“We believe it might have stemmed more from a domestic violence than a home invasion,” Crowell said.
Several neighbors said Mathews is married to the woman in the apartment he was trying to enter and that they have a long history of domestic violence. They said the two also have a child.
Keta Holmes, a neighbor, said the situation started at about 2:30 a.m. and went on for hours.
“He was banging on his wife’s door and she wouldn’t let him in and he was in his car calling her on his phone for about three hours,” she said.
Holmes said Mathews had a book bag in his hands and police asked him to put it down. Holmes said that as he put it down, Mathews reached inside and pulled out a gun.
Holmes said Edwards went down and his partner began firing. She said several shots were fired, there was a pause and then another five to seven rounds were fired.
Another neighbor, Jernee Bates, said he also saw the book bag.
Bates said Edwards asked Mathews what was in the bag. The man bent down to the bag and that’s when Bates heard a “pop” noise.
“He came out with a gun and shot (Edwards) in the head,” Bates said.
Bates said Mathews was still shooting while he was shot before he finally dropped the gun.
Another neighbor, Ricky Jones, said the suspect ran about 100 yards before falling.
Jones said he looked out of his window and saw blood on Mathews and a police officer standing over him with his gun drawn.
“It sounded like Vietnam, like I was back in the war,” Jones said.
Ernest Allen, who also lives near the shooting site, said he heard about a dozen shots.
“It woke me up, and I heard about a good 10 or 12 gunshots,” he said. “I wasn’t really sure what happened.”
Neighbors said crime has been rampant lately at the apartment complex, which has a long history of violence.
Another neighbor said she recently posted a notice on her door alerting visitors that everyone in her apartment was legally armed.
Crowell did not confirm a problem with violence at the apartments, but said, “We’ve had our incidents at that complex.”
Police said they were interviewing several witnesses.
Crowell said Edwards made the ultimate sacrifice.
“It’s something we sometimes take for granted when we put on our uniforms every day,” he said. “As law enforcement officers, we all expect to go home at night to our families.”
It is the first time an officer has been killed in the line of duty in department history. Flags were lowered to half staff at the municipal complex, which includes the police station and main fire station. Officers wore black bands around their badges.
A police chaplain was on site Friday to counsel grieving officers.
Michigan State Police are assisting in the investigation.
Los Angeles, CA: Boy's suicide reveals continued problems with L.A. County social services
Social workers met with 11-year-old hours before he hanged himself, but lacked access to key information on his case. Tablet computers sit unused and a database linking county agencies remains spotty.
By Garrett Therolf, Los Angeles Times
July 25, 2010
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On a still night last month, a Montebello fifth-grader walked to a bedroom closet, pulled out a jump rope and hanged himself — apparently to end the abuse that had tormented him for years.
Just hours earlier, Los Angeles County mental health and child abuse investigators had visited the drab apartment building to examine 11-year-old Jorge Tarin. He had told a school counselor that day that he wanted to kill himself. After speaking to Jorge privately, the county workers left.
A review following his June 8 suicide uncovered evidence that persistent communication breakdowns at the county Department of Children and Family Services may have contributed to the tragedy, according to county records reviewed by The Times.
When county workers decided not to hospitalize or detain the boy, they were unaware of key pieces of information, according to documentation about the case. The social worker did not have one of the portable tablet computers that the department uses to pull case records in the field.
The department paid $5.9 million for about 2,400 tablets in 2007, but purchased only 400 wireless cards to allow them to connect remotely. As a result, in a department with about 7,300 employees, the overwhelming majority of the tablets gather dust on social workers' desks. Many field workers instead rely on personal cellphones to connect to the office.
It was not until after Jorge killed himself that the workers learned that the stepfather who answered the door had a long history of drug abuse and domestic violence. He was there when county officials visited, even though a court order barred him from living in the home.
Although county workers had visited Jorge in disheveled homes since his infancy — noting drugs, violence and neglect in the households — the complete history was not available to the officials who interviewed him that day. Without remote access to the department's computer system, the social worker at the scene was unable to fill in some blanks that may have changed the decision to leave Jorge at the home.
"This was a very difficult case and we're still trying to determine what happened," Supervisor Gloria Molina said.
Communication breakdowns have long been blamed in the deaths of Los Angeles County's abused and neglected children. The Times reported last year that top county leaders knew of a dozen reports dating back almost two decades that concluded county agencies were not exchanging vital information that could prevent children's deaths and injuries.
In a 2008 case involving a severely abused 5-year-old boy, a review revealed that eight separate agencies had more than 100 contacts with the boy's family, but those findings were not shared. When the child was finally removed from the home, he was so malnourished that his kidneys were failing, his hands burned so badly that he could barely unclench them.
In Jorge's case, county records indicate that he spent 15 months in foster homes beginning in 2008 before social workers decided to reunite him with his mother last year. She and other family members declined to speak to The Times about his death.
On the day Jorge hanged himself, he spent the morning at La Merced Intermediate School emotional and crying. He told the school counselor that life was "unbearable," county records show.
Jorge said schoolmates were bullying him, and his mother repeatedly struck him with a hanger and a shoe while his stepfather held him down. He said he wanted to kill himself "because I'm tired of people hitting me all the time," according to the records.
By noon, the school counselor had called emergency workers from the county Department of Mental Health and filed a child abuse report with the Department of Children and Family Services. The counselor told mental health workers that Jorge threatened to use a gun to kill himself, and that he had spoken in the past of using a rope, according to county documents.
School officials and mental health workers thought Jorge was well enough to go home. He boarded a school bus with a note for his mother to call them.
Not long after he got home, a social worker arrived, accompanied by police.
After his stepfather opened the door, the social worker took Jorge to his mother's bedroom to interview him alone. He sat playing with an object, occasionally throwing it up in the air. Asked the last time his mother struck him, he shrugged his shoulders. Asked if he feared her, he said no, records show.
The social worker was told by mental health officials about the boy's threat to shoot himself, but found no weapon in the home. The social worker did not search for a rope, unaware of the school counselor's warning.
The social worker also did not know that the stepfather was limited by court order to visits at the home and was not allowed to live there. Unaware of the order, the social worker did not try to determine whether the man was staying there full-time.
The department's chronic communication issues appear to have hindered the social worker's access to such information.
In addition to the thousands of mothballed portable tablet computers, the county's Family and Children Index, a database where other agencies should have reported encounters with the family that might indicate abuse or neglect, continues to be problematic. Although the social worker sent to evaluate Jorge checked the index and got a positive hit for some kind of problem, phone calls to those agencies were not immediately returned, records show.
After a push last year to make the database more complete, county efforts have stalled while officials pursue state legislation to loosen legal restrictions on the flow of information.
Without access to complete records, the social worker was left to evaluate Jorge's case largely on interviews.
When the social worker spoke with Jorge's mother, she denied hitting him with a hanger or shoe, and she appeared genuinely concerned for his welfare, according to records. Based on the mental health workers' assessment that Jorge did not pose an immediate suicide risk, the social worker left him in the home but kept the investigation open in order to gather more information over the following days.
Hours later, as the family gathered to watch the Lakers play the third game of the NBA finals, Jorge slipped away to his mother's bedroom. He closed the door. When his mother went to call him for dinner, Jorge's stepfather heard a scream. He went to the room and found her holding Jorge's limp body in her arms, according to county records.
The next day, after lingering on life support at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, Jorge died.
By Garrett Therolf, Los Angeles Times
July 25, 2010
advertisement
On a still night last month, a Montebello fifth-grader walked to a bedroom closet, pulled out a jump rope and hanged himself — apparently to end the abuse that had tormented him for years.
Just hours earlier, Los Angeles County mental health and child abuse investigators had visited the drab apartment building to examine 11-year-old Jorge Tarin. He had told a school counselor that day that he wanted to kill himself. After speaking to Jorge privately, the county workers left.
A review following his June 8 suicide uncovered evidence that persistent communication breakdowns at the county Department of Children and Family Services may have contributed to the tragedy, according to county records reviewed by The Times.
When county workers decided not to hospitalize or detain the boy, they were unaware of key pieces of information, according to documentation about the case. The social worker did not have one of the portable tablet computers that the department uses to pull case records in the field.
The department paid $5.9 million for about 2,400 tablets in 2007, but purchased only 400 wireless cards to allow them to connect remotely. As a result, in a department with about 7,300 employees, the overwhelming majority of the tablets gather dust on social workers' desks. Many field workers instead rely on personal cellphones to connect to the office.
It was not until after Jorge killed himself that the workers learned that the stepfather who answered the door had a long history of drug abuse and domestic violence. He was there when county officials visited, even though a court order barred him from living in the home.
Although county workers had visited Jorge in disheveled homes since his infancy — noting drugs, violence and neglect in the households — the complete history was not available to the officials who interviewed him that day. Without remote access to the department's computer system, the social worker at the scene was unable to fill in some blanks that may have changed the decision to leave Jorge at the home.
"This was a very difficult case and we're still trying to determine what happened," Supervisor Gloria Molina said.
Communication breakdowns have long been blamed in the deaths of Los Angeles County's abused and neglected children. The Times reported last year that top county leaders knew of a dozen reports dating back almost two decades that concluded county agencies were not exchanging vital information that could prevent children's deaths and injuries.
In a 2008 case involving a severely abused 5-year-old boy, a review revealed that eight separate agencies had more than 100 contacts with the boy's family, but those findings were not shared. When the child was finally removed from the home, he was so malnourished that his kidneys were failing, his hands burned so badly that he could barely unclench them.
In Jorge's case, county records indicate that he spent 15 months in foster homes beginning in 2008 before social workers decided to reunite him with his mother last year. She and other family members declined to speak to The Times about his death.
On the day Jorge hanged himself, he spent the morning at La Merced Intermediate School emotional and crying. He told the school counselor that life was "unbearable," county records show.
Jorge said schoolmates were bullying him, and his mother repeatedly struck him with a hanger and a shoe while his stepfather held him down. He said he wanted to kill himself "because I'm tired of people hitting me all the time," according to the records.
By noon, the school counselor had called emergency workers from the county Department of Mental Health and filed a child abuse report with the Department of Children and Family Services. The counselor told mental health workers that Jorge threatened to use a gun to kill himself, and that he had spoken in the past of using a rope, according to county documents.
School officials and mental health workers thought Jorge was well enough to go home. He boarded a school bus with a note for his mother to call them.
Not long after he got home, a social worker arrived, accompanied by police.
After his stepfather opened the door, the social worker took Jorge to his mother's bedroom to interview him alone. He sat playing with an object, occasionally throwing it up in the air. Asked the last time his mother struck him, he shrugged his shoulders. Asked if he feared her, he said no, records show.
The social worker was told by mental health officials about the boy's threat to shoot himself, but found no weapon in the home. The social worker did not search for a rope, unaware of the school counselor's warning.
The social worker also did not know that the stepfather was limited by court order to visits at the home and was not allowed to live there. Unaware of the order, the social worker did not try to determine whether the man was staying there full-time.
The department's chronic communication issues appear to have hindered the social worker's access to such information.
In addition to the thousands of mothballed portable tablet computers, the county's Family and Children Index, a database where other agencies should have reported encounters with the family that might indicate abuse or neglect, continues to be problematic. Although the social worker sent to evaluate Jorge checked the index and got a positive hit for some kind of problem, phone calls to those agencies were not immediately returned, records show.
After a push last year to make the database more complete, county efforts have stalled while officials pursue state legislation to loosen legal restrictions on the flow of information.
Without access to complete records, the social worker was left to evaluate Jorge's case largely on interviews.
When the social worker spoke with Jorge's mother, she denied hitting him with a hanger or shoe, and she appeared genuinely concerned for his welfare, according to records. Based on the mental health workers' assessment that Jorge did not pose an immediate suicide risk, the social worker left him in the home but kept the investigation open in order to gather more information over the following days.
Hours later, as the family gathered to watch the Lakers play the third game of the NBA finals, Jorge slipped away to his mother's bedroom. He closed the door. When his mother went to call him for dinner, Jorge's stepfather heard a scream. He went to the room and found her holding Jorge's limp body in her arms, according to county records.
The next day, after lingering on life support at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, Jorge died.
Williamsburg, KS: Deputy killed on way to call
WILLIAMSBURG, KAN. |
Franklin County Sheriff’s Deputy Samuel A. Smith died late Friday after losing control of his patrol car while responding to a domestic violence call near Pomona.
The sheriff’s office said Smith, 22, was on California Road about four miles north of Williamsburg about 10 p.m. when he struck a tree head-on. The car caught fire.
Smith, of Ottawa, joined the department in November. “He was respected by his peers and will be missed,” Sheriff Jeffry Curry said.
Franklin County Sheriff’s Deputy Samuel A. Smith died late Friday after losing control of his patrol car while responding to a domestic violence call near Pomona.
The sheriff’s office said Smith, 22, was on California Road about four miles north of Williamsburg about 10 p.m. when he struck a tree head-on. The car caught fire.
Smith, of Ottawa, joined the department in November. “He was respected by his peers and will be missed,” Sheriff Jeffry Curry said.
Santa Cruz, CA: Santa Cruz Police: Woman killed when throat is slashed in domestic fight
By Alia Wilson -- Santa Cruz Sentinel
Posted: 07/24/2010 12:32:28 PM PDT
Updated: 07/24/2010 04:18:53 PM PDT
SANTA CRUZ - A 41-year-old Santa Cruz woman was killed early Saturday when her throat was cut in what appears to be a domestic dispute, according to Santa Cruz police.
The woman's live-in boyfriend, Wensy Sanchez, was arrested on suspicion of homicide at a studio apartment on the 300 block of Morrissey Boulevard, police said.
Officers and medics responded to the apartment around 4 a.m. after neighbors called 911 to report that a woman was bleeding from a fight, according to police.
Officers found the woman on the living-room floor with her throat slashed and medics were unable to revive her, police said. Sanchez, 39, was seated a few feet away and was arrested without incident, according to police.
"This is a glaring heartbreaking example of domestic violence in our community and is a reminder that we should all be vigilant," Deputy Police Chief Rick Martinez said.
Martinez declined to say what prompted the fight, what type of weapon was used or if there was a history of violence at the home.
Police are not releasing the woman's name until family members have been notified.
Saturday morning, friends of the victim, wiping tears from their eyes, gathered outside the apartment building. They declined to comment, but neighbors said the woman often held popular yard sales where she sold plants, ceramics and flower arrangements.
"I wouldn't have expected it to happen here, especially at this house. This is a nice neighborhood,"
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said Mike Jones who lives down the street.
Tony Gonzalez, who has been living across the street from the apartment complex for 30 years, said the neighborhood is usually quiet.
"It's sad that somebody had to be taken this way," he said.
This is the sixth homicide in Santa Cruz this year and the second related to domestic violence. The first was a murder-suicide at 7-11 on Ocean Street on New Year's Day. In all, there have been three homicides related to domestic violence in the county this year.
Santa Cruz police and the District Attorney's Office are investigating the case. Police ask that anyone with information call investigators at 420-5820.
2010 SANTA CRUZ HOMICIDES
May 28: Bryan Young, 26, was shot during a drug rip-off on a footpath next to the Branciforte Creek canal and died the next day. Felton resident James Oehler, 23, was arrested when he returned to the crime scene the morning after the shooting, apparently to retrieve the murder weapon. Police found methamphetamine worth about $400 near where Young was shot. Oehler has pleaded not guilty and remains in jail. His preliminary hearing will be Sept. 13.
April 24: Carl Reimer, 19, of Santa Cruz was shot three times at Mission Garden apartments, 90 Grandview St., in what police say was likely a gang-related attack. A 15-year-old friend of Reimer's was not hit in the incident, which unfolded about midnight on April 23. Reimer died at Valley Medical in San Jose at 6:45 a.m. April 24. The suspect was described as a thin Latino man, 5 feet 7 inches tall, wearing dark clothing. He fled the scene.
Jan. 23: Alejandro Nava-Gonzalez, 21, and Oscar Ventura, 18, were fatally shot in an apartment on Canfield Street in Santa Cruz during an argument over a small amount of money. Jaime Galdalmez Guevara, an 18-year-old alleged gang member and heroin dealer, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder, attempted murder, special allegations that multiple murders were committed and that he used a firearm. Guevara remains in County Jail and returns to court Jan. 10 for a preliminary hearing.
Jan. 1: Nichole ‘Nikki' Schrock, 24, of Seaside was shot by her ex-boyfriend while she worked at the 7-Eleven at Ocean Street and Broadway in Santa Cruz. Illya ‘IC' Cavlan, 42, of San Jose then turned the gun on himself.
Posted: 07/24/2010 12:32:28 PM PDT
Updated: 07/24/2010 04:18:53 PM PDT
SANTA CRUZ - A 41-year-old Santa Cruz woman was killed early Saturday when her throat was cut in what appears to be a domestic dispute, according to Santa Cruz police.
The woman's live-in boyfriend, Wensy Sanchez, was arrested on suspicion of homicide at a studio apartment on the 300 block of Morrissey Boulevard, police said.
Officers and medics responded to the apartment around 4 a.m. after neighbors called 911 to report that a woman was bleeding from a fight, according to police.
Officers found the woman on the living-room floor with her throat slashed and medics were unable to revive her, police said. Sanchez, 39, was seated a few feet away and was arrested without incident, according to police.
"This is a glaring heartbreaking example of domestic violence in our community and is a reminder that we should all be vigilant," Deputy Police Chief Rick Martinez said.
Martinez declined to say what prompted the fight, what type of weapon was used or if there was a history of violence at the home.
Police are not releasing the woman's name until family members have been notified.
Saturday morning, friends of the victim, wiping tears from their eyes, gathered outside the apartment building. They declined to comment, but neighbors said the woman often held popular yard sales where she sold plants, ceramics and flower arrangements.
"I wouldn't have expected it to happen here, especially at this house. This is a nice neighborhood,"
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said Mike Jones who lives down the street.
Tony Gonzalez, who has been living across the street from the apartment complex for 30 years, said the neighborhood is usually quiet.
"It's sad that somebody had to be taken this way," he said.
This is the sixth homicide in Santa Cruz this year and the second related to domestic violence. The first was a murder-suicide at 7-11 on Ocean Street on New Year's Day. In all, there have been three homicides related to domestic violence in the county this year.
Santa Cruz police and the District Attorney's Office are investigating the case. Police ask that anyone with information call investigators at 420-5820.
2010 SANTA CRUZ HOMICIDES
May 28: Bryan Young, 26, was shot during a drug rip-off on a footpath next to the Branciforte Creek canal and died the next day. Felton resident James Oehler, 23, was arrested when he returned to the crime scene the morning after the shooting, apparently to retrieve the murder weapon. Police found methamphetamine worth about $400 near where Young was shot. Oehler has pleaded not guilty and remains in jail. His preliminary hearing will be Sept. 13.
April 24: Carl Reimer, 19, of Santa Cruz was shot three times at Mission Garden apartments, 90 Grandview St., in what police say was likely a gang-related attack. A 15-year-old friend of Reimer's was not hit in the incident, which unfolded about midnight on April 23. Reimer died at Valley Medical in San Jose at 6:45 a.m. April 24. The suspect was described as a thin Latino man, 5 feet 7 inches tall, wearing dark clothing. He fled the scene.
Jan. 23: Alejandro Nava-Gonzalez, 21, and Oscar Ventura, 18, were fatally shot in an apartment on Canfield Street in Santa Cruz during an argument over a small amount of money. Jaime Galdalmez Guevara, an 18-year-old alleged gang member and heroin dealer, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder, attempted murder, special allegations that multiple murders were committed and that he used a firearm. Guevara remains in County Jail and returns to court Jan. 10 for a preliminary hearing.
Jan. 1: Nichole ‘Nikki' Schrock, 24, of Seaside was shot by her ex-boyfriend while she worked at the 7-Eleven at Ocean Street and Broadway in Santa Cruz. Illya ‘IC' Cavlan, 42, of San Jose then turned the gun on himself.
Colleton, SC: Deputies: Man shoots himself, kills wife
Posted: Jul 25, 2010 5:24 PM EDT
Updated: Jul 25, 2010 5:24 PM EDT
COLLETON, SC (WCSC) – The Colleton County Sheriff's Office said a Lodge, South Carolina man killed his wife before turning the gun on himself.
When Sheriff's deputies arrived at the house early Sunday morning they found 57-year-old Rose Meyers dead from an apparent gunshot wound.
Investigators say her husband, 51-year-old Eli Meyers, was suffering from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the neck.
It's believed Eli Meyers called 911 claiming to have shot his wife.
Deputies say Eli Meyers was flown to a Charleston area hospital where he is undergoing surgery for that gunshot wound.
Colleton County Sheriff George Malone said the shooting is still under investigation.Coll
Updated: Jul 25, 2010 5:24 PM EDT
COLLETON, SC (WCSC) – The Colleton County Sheriff's Office said a Lodge, South Carolina man killed his wife before turning the gun on himself.
When Sheriff's deputies arrived at the house early Sunday morning they found 57-year-old Rose Meyers dead from an apparent gunshot wound.
Investigators say her husband, 51-year-old Eli Meyers, was suffering from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the neck.
It's believed Eli Meyers called 911 claiming to have shot his wife.
Deputies say Eli Meyers was flown to a Charleston area hospital where he is undergoing surgery for that gunshot wound.
Colleton County Sheriff George Malone said the shooting is still under investigation.Coll
Somerville, MA: Her long struggle ends in death
Plagued by mental illness, 33-year-old is shot after slashing 3 police officers
By Milton J. Valencia, Globe Staff | July 24, 2010
SOMERVILLE — The woman who was shot and killed by police after she allegedly slashed three officers in her home yesterday morning had a history of mental illness, yet attempts to provide her treatment had failed, right up until the hours before the shooting, according to police, court records, and interviews with friends and neighbors.
Carol Lynn Kingsley, a 33-year-old mother who lost custody of her only child nearly four years ago, had been brought by emergency responders to Cambridge Hospital for a mental health evaluation at 3 a.m. yesterday, less than four hours before the shooting. A neighbor had called police complaining that she was fighting with her boyfriend.
But she was released from the hospital, and by 6:30 a.m. her neighbors’ and friends’ worst fears for her safety had materialized: Police were called to her Sycamore Terrace home again after Kingsley allegedly hit her boyfriend and tried to set fire to his clothes. She allegedly grabbed a kitchen knife, barricaded herself inside her bathroom, and started slashing and stabbing at the officers, according to authorities.
At one point, one of the officers fired a shot, killing Kingsley.
“She had her problems, but I never saw anything like this coming,’’ said Peter Cusick of Belmont, who had a six-year romantic relationship with Kingsley, but who stopped communicating with her in recent weeks because of her problems with alcohol.
Chris Willett, her boyfriend of recent months, told reporters that he did not see the final confrontation with police. “It’s painful,’’ he said.
Officials said yesterday that the shooting remains under investigation.
One officer suffered stab sounds to his back, shoulder, and arm, and another was stabbed in his back and arm. The third officer suffered wounds to his hand.
Police Chief Michael Cabral said the officers — who were later identified as Marc DiFava, Dante DiFronzo, and Jose Ramirez — were treated at Massachusetts General Hospital and returned home yesterday. He said the shooting was justified and followed police protocol.
“The officers did what they were trained to do, but for them and anyone involved, it’s still a very sad, tragic situation,’’ said Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone, who visited the officers in the hospital as a show of support and thanks. “We wish there was no loss of life whatsoever.’’
Those who knew Kingsley said that even though they long feared her substance abuse and mental illnesses would endanger her, they never thought it would lead to a violent death at the hands of police.
“It’s just a shame it got to this point,’’ said a neighbor, 48-year-old Ed Lavelle.
Kingsley had soured her relationship with her neighbors, for blasting her music and television, screaming obscenities, causing fights, and attracting the attention of police at all hours of the day, they said. She piled trash on the porch, and one time tried to jump from a balcony, neighbors said.
But they realized she suffered from problems, too. She drank at all times, and confined herself to her apartment, the neighbors said. One neighbor complained that she would scream in the middle of the night, “I will kill you,’’ or “Kill God, kill the devil.’’
Cusick said yesterday that Kingsley had drinking problems when they first met, but not to the extent of recent years. For a while, she enjoyed going to Red Sox games and NASCAR races. She had a daughter, who is about 8 years old now, but lost custody of her several years ago because of her problems.
It was then that Kingsley quickly eroded: She was kicked out of an apartment in Watertown for causing disturbances, and was being evicted from her home in Somerville for the same reason, according to Cusick and court records.
Cusick said he told Kingsley in June that he would stop communicating with her if she did not stop drinking. He had not spoken to her since.
Kingsley’s substance abuse coincides with a history of violence, including attacks against police, according to court records. A decade ago, she was charged with attacking a woman for no reason at a bus stop in Somerville. The case was continued without a finding after she served probation for six months.
Last year, she allegedly broke into a woman’s house in Somerville at random, accused the woman of stealing her bag and attacking her. She then allegedly attacked the police officers who arrested her and spat at them.
She was charged with breaking and entering in the nighttime and putting a person in fear, assault and battery on a police officer, and destruction of property. The case was slated to go to trial in September.
Kingsley was also taken into police custody in June for allegedly acting disorderly and assaulting police officers. While in custody, she allegedly threatened to blow up the police station.
She was never charged, however, Police instead brought her to Cambridge Hospital to undergo a psychiatric evaluation, according to a law enforcement official who is not authorized to speak publicly about the case. The official said that Somerville police planned to seek criminal charges against Kingsley on Monday. The outcome of the hospital visit was not clear yesterday.
A spokesman for Cambridge Health Alliance, which operates Cambridge Hospital, said yesterday that he could not comment on Kingsley’s visits because of privacy rules. She had been seeing a doctor at Cambridge Health Alliance for more than eight years, according to court records filed in her landlord’s attempts to evict her from her Somerville home. She had not been paying rent, the court records said.
Willett, who had called police about Kingsley before, told reporters that he was still trying to determine the sequence of the events. “I think she just felt very strongly about something and she decided to act on those feelings and, unfortunately, police dealt with it,’’ he said.
But he also said he wanted to probe her mental health evaluation yesterday morning.
John R. Ellement of the Globe staff contributed to this report. Milton Valencia can be reached at mvalencia@globe.com.
By Milton J. Valencia, Globe Staff | July 24, 2010
SOMERVILLE — The woman who was shot and killed by police after she allegedly slashed three officers in her home yesterday morning had a history of mental illness, yet attempts to provide her treatment had failed, right up until the hours before the shooting, according to police, court records, and interviews with friends and neighbors.
Carol Lynn Kingsley, a 33-year-old mother who lost custody of her only child nearly four years ago, had been brought by emergency responders to Cambridge Hospital for a mental health evaluation at 3 a.m. yesterday, less than four hours before the shooting. A neighbor had called police complaining that she was fighting with her boyfriend.
But she was released from the hospital, and by 6:30 a.m. her neighbors’ and friends’ worst fears for her safety had materialized: Police were called to her Sycamore Terrace home again after Kingsley allegedly hit her boyfriend and tried to set fire to his clothes. She allegedly grabbed a kitchen knife, barricaded herself inside her bathroom, and started slashing and stabbing at the officers, according to authorities.
At one point, one of the officers fired a shot, killing Kingsley.
“She had her problems, but I never saw anything like this coming,’’ said Peter Cusick of Belmont, who had a six-year romantic relationship with Kingsley, but who stopped communicating with her in recent weeks because of her problems with alcohol.
Chris Willett, her boyfriend of recent months, told reporters that he did not see the final confrontation with police. “It’s painful,’’ he said.
Officials said yesterday that the shooting remains under investigation.
One officer suffered stab sounds to his back, shoulder, and arm, and another was stabbed in his back and arm. The third officer suffered wounds to his hand.
Police Chief Michael Cabral said the officers — who were later identified as Marc DiFava, Dante DiFronzo, and Jose Ramirez — were treated at Massachusetts General Hospital and returned home yesterday. He said the shooting was justified and followed police protocol.
“The officers did what they were trained to do, but for them and anyone involved, it’s still a very sad, tragic situation,’’ said Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone, who visited the officers in the hospital as a show of support and thanks. “We wish there was no loss of life whatsoever.’’
Those who knew Kingsley said that even though they long feared her substance abuse and mental illnesses would endanger her, they never thought it would lead to a violent death at the hands of police.
“It’s just a shame it got to this point,’’ said a neighbor, 48-year-old Ed Lavelle.
Kingsley had soured her relationship with her neighbors, for blasting her music and television, screaming obscenities, causing fights, and attracting the attention of police at all hours of the day, they said. She piled trash on the porch, and one time tried to jump from a balcony, neighbors said.
But they realized she suffered from problems, too. She drank at all times, and confined herself to her apartment, the neighbors said. One neighbor complained that she would scream in the middle of the night, “I will kill you,’’ or “Kill God, kill the devil.’’
Cusick said yesterday that Kingsley had drinking problems when they first met, but not to the extent of recent years. For a while, she enjoyed going to Red Sox games and NASCAR races. She had a daughter, who is about 8 years old now, but lost custody of her several years ago because of her problems.
It was then that Kingsley quickly eroded: She was kicked out of an apartment in Watertown for causing disturbances, and was being evicted from her home in Somerville for the same reason, according to Cusick and court records.
Cusick said he told Kingsley in June that he would stop communicating with her if she did not stop drinking. He had not spoken to her since.
Kingsley’s substance abuse coincides with a history of violence, including attacks against police, according to court records. A decade ago, she was charged with attacking a woman for no reason at a bus stop in Somerville. The case was continued without a finding after she served probation for six months.
Last year, she allegedly broke into a woman’s house in Somerville at random, accused the woman of stealing her bag and attacking her. She then allegedly attacked the police officers who arrested her and spat at them.
She was charged with breaking and entering in the nighttime and putting a person in fear, assault and battery on a police officer, and destruction of property. The case was slated to go to trial in September.
Kingsley was also taken into police custody in June for allegedly acting disorderly and assaulting police officers. While in custody, she allegedly threatened to blow up the police station.
She was never charged, however, Police instead brought her to Cambridge Hospital to undergo a psychiatric evaluation, according to a law enforcement official who is not authorized to speak publicly about the case. The official said that Somerville police planned to seek criminal charges against Kingsley on Monday. The outcome of the hospital visit was not clear yesterday.
A spokesman for Cambridge Health Alliance, which operates Cambridge Hospital, said yesterday that he could not comment on Kingsley’s visits because of privacy rules. She had been seeing a doctor at Cambridge Health Alliance for more than eight years, according to court records filed in her landlord’s attempts to evict her from her Somerville home. She had not been paying rent, the court records said.
Willett, who had called police about Kingsley before, told reporters that he was still trying to determine the sequence of the events. “I think she just felt very strongly about something and she decided to act on those feelings and, unfortunately, police dealt with it,’’ he said.
But he also said he wanted to probe her mental health evaluation yesterday morning.
John R. Ellement of the Globe staff contributed to this report. Milton Valencia can be reached at mvalencia@globe.com.
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