Gary Joseph Lacock

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Obituary- Lacock, Gary 2

Boyfriend Shoots Woman, Kills Self
from the “Topeka-Capital Journal”
A man with a 10-year history of domestic disturbances wounded his girlfriend and set their rented house on fire before killing himself Thursday afternoon, July 2, 1998, in rural Wabaunsee County, according to Sheriff Richard Old.

Old said he entered the burning house, located six miles north of Paxico, after hearing gunshots. The living room was fully engulfed in flames, and Gary Lacock, 41, was lying on the floor about 10 feet from the door.

Roseann Hale, 46, suffered a gunshot wound to the lower back. She fled the burning house. Hale was taken to a Topeka hospital by helicopter. She had surgery Friday and was moved out of intensive care. She remains in the hospital in serious condition.

“The woman told us he set the fire, tried to set her on fire, shot her and then shot himself,” Old said.

Old said two deputies responded to a call involving a domestic disturbance at 1:31 p.m. at the rural house. Officers heard a verbal conflict inside when they approached.

Then, two or three gunshots were fired, and Hale ran outside. The officers took her to safety behind their patrol cars. Moments later, the front window of the house blew out, presumably due to the heat from the fire, the sheriff said. Old then entered the house through the front door and discovered Lacock’s body.

Old attempted to put out the fire with a garden hose until other emergency help arrived. Emergency personnel on the scene included state troopers, fire trucks from neighboring communities, St. Marys Ambulance, and Life Flight helicopter from Topeka.

There was substantial damage to the front of the house, but the blaze was contained to a limited area. It appeared an accelerant was used to start the fire.

Walt Flowers, husband of Hale’s sister who had known Lacock for 25 or 30 years, said Hale had recently moved back in with Lacock and the Lacock may have thought Hale had been involved with other men.

“He really imagined Ann was fooling around on him, but she wasn’t,” Flowers said. “They had several problems in the past.”

Flowers said Lacock was a gun enthusiast. He said he had a bad feeling about the couple’s relationship.

“It sure seemed like he was headed for a hurting, one way or another,” Flowers said.

An autopsy was performed on Lacock Friday, Old said. However, toxicology reports will not be available for a few weeks.

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