Crime

Cops Say 88-Year-Old Man Shot His Wife of 70 Years at CA Nursing Home

SEAL BEACH, Calif. (AP) — An 86-year-old woman was found dead of a gunshot wound to the head in her bed at a Southern California nursing home Sunday, and her husband of nearly seven decades was found sitting next to her and arrested on suspicion of murder, police said.

Reports of gunshots at Country Villa Healthcare Center came at about noon, and within a few minutes officers arrived from the California Highway Patrol, Orange County Sheriff’s Department and three local police departments, Seal Beach police Sgt. Steve Bowles said.

A tactical team surrounded the facility and soon entered. Inside they found Clara Laird dead of a single gunshot wound to the head, and found her husband Roy Charles Laird in a nearby chair, Bowles said. Officers recovered a .38 caliber revolver from Roy Laird.

“It was in his pocket,” Bowles said, and added Laird gave no trouble to officers who arrested him.

Laird was being held at Seal Beach jail Sunday night.

The scene at the nursing home was “chaotic” on a weekend afternoon with many visitors in addition to patients and staff, Bowles said.

Bowles could offer no information on the motive or health of the couple, nor say whether any trouble had been reported between them.

“They were married for almost 70 years,” he said.

Comments (93)

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  • mcccmar
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 5:09am

    I suspect this was a terribly misguided effort on his part to end his wife’s suffering – how sad for them both

    Report Post »  
  • joseph Fawcett
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 3:21am

    This wasn’t a murder because of trouble between them, it was a mercy killing. The woman was probley suffering in someway and the staff of the nursing home maybe wasn’t paying attention to it or her. I worked in a nursing home as a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant). I had 20 or more patients to attend to and the one nurse had at least double that. It is a shame what goes on in nursing homes with understaffing. This woman was more than likey slowly dieing and the care was not good enough to make her comfortable. It more than likely broke the Husbands heart so badly that he killed her out of mercy not caring what would happen to him. I would venture to say that he will be dead soon from grief of having to loose his beloved wife. Sad, very sad. I was a CNA for Hospice patients and believe it or not most people can die very comfortably at home with loved ones around.

    http://www.josephfawcettart.com western artist

    Report Post » joseph Fawcett  
    • rbqueen
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 3:29am

      I would have to agree with you that it probably was a mercy killing and whether or not she was being taken care of. I figure that he just couldn’t see her like that anymore and like you also said, he will probably die very soon from grief.

      Report Post »  
  • sheik
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 3:17am

    He got even. Finally.

    He did what he always wanted to do.

    Prove me wrong!

    Report Post » sheik  
  • iceblast
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 2:59am

    This was probably a decision she made, and he did it for her.

    I don’t think you should compare this to “If you think that someone should kill the elderly and sick for mercy, then you should think that abortion is ok..for the sake of a sick kid, or you should think that honor killing is ok for the sake of family honor.”

    1. People taking it upon themselves to kill a elderly person is wrong. But if this elderly woman asked her husband to end her life, then we aren’t talking murder. I think the moment he pulled the trigger, his life or reason for living died with her. If it makes you feel better, you can kill him too.
    2. Is abortion ok? Should be limited to the very beginning. But the flip side of the coin. If you force someone to carry a child full term. It’s also dangerous for the mother, and changes her body forever. Then someone else should pay the bill and make sure that Mother and child are taken carry of. Being a parent is a life time commitment, and not everyone is in a place in their life to be able to afford raising a child. The money shouldn’t come from the taxpayer either.
    3. There is no Honor in Honor killing. The moment you kill for Honor, is the moment you lose all Honor forever.

    God gave us free will. What we choice to do with it, and the results from our actions we have to live with. I would hope God is understanding in cases like this. Only he knows the heart of this man, and may judge as he so wishes.

    Report Post »  
  • Psychosis
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 2:58am

    a little off topic but here is a new plan to balance the national budget, slash the deficit, all while KEEPING SOCIAL SECURITY, MEDICAID, MEDICARE,

    http://www.roadmap.republicans.budget.house.gov/UploadedFiles/Roadmap2Final2.pdf

    Psychosis  
  • tbone0106
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 2:50am

    Um, I think one of those pesky Ten Commandments says, “Thou shalt not kill.” Just four words, not two thousand pages of crap like a modern legislative proposal. Just four words.

    Report Post »  
  • ensemble
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 2:02am

    finwe– no, I am not arrogant to judge. I am questioning the arrogance of anyone who would take a life and take the power of God. It is not our power to take. If you think that killing for even mercy killing is your or anyone elses right, then you are arrogant. If you think that someone should kill the elderly and sick for mercy, then you should think that abortion is ok..for the sake of a sick kid, or you should think that honor killing is ok for the sake of family honor. You can’t have it both ways. I am against murder of human beings by human beings. Murder is wrong..period..

    Report Post »  
    • finwe
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 2:07am

      I’m simply pointing out that you seem to be judging this situation in a God-like manner. You are arbitrarily casting judgement on a situation you have absolutely no clear knowledge about. Not to mention making leaps in logic as to my beliefs. It is left up to the Lord to have ultimate judgement; don’t try to set yourself above God.

      Report Post »  
  • glenng2
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 1:59am

    I can only pray that someone would sacrifice their freedom and a place with the Lord to end my suffering should I come to it!

    Report Post »  
  • Helen-of-Joy
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 1:52am

    Well don’t bring a gun to my going away party. Get me SO high the last drifting thoughts are of The 5th Dimension singing … Up, up and away … in my beautiful, my beautiful balloon …

    The system has sucked for a long time even without Obama care. A hospital will discharge you — regardless of your condition — when your insurance runs out. If you qualify for hospice/rehabilitation care they will discharge you — regardless of your condition — when your insurance runs out. I have lived this first hand.

    It will only get worse when the government is in charge. Can I hear a big DUH!?

    Report Post » Helen-of-Joy  
  • ensemble
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 1:49am

    fellow blazers..I get how people make excuses for murder..I just don’t subscrihe to the excuses. Excuses can be made for abortion, ..the kid will be born with autism or some other disease..I understand excuses for honor killings..it restores fallen shame to the family..it doesn’t make it right..You have to have faith that even in suffering God has a plan for all and we are not allowed to subvert God’s plan. Some poster made a pet out to be the same thing as a person and he/she shot the pet..that is just wrong to me. I get that some people make excuses in order to play God…I just could never do that. I am not arrogant enough to think that I am the finger of life of death. That is not my gig.

    Report Post »  
    • finwe
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 1:53am

      But apparently you’re arrogant enough to judge this situation AS God.

      Report Post »  
  • inthebegining111
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 1:34am

    70 years what is special here? lots of years folks.. Sounds to me as though they took care of each other…Mercy with love

    Report Post »  
  • ensemble
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 1:19am

    You don’t help people by killing them. Suffering is hard yet God has a plan for us all, even in suffering. We don’t have info on her status or his state of mind or his intentions. A gun shot to the head is just not right, not loving, not humane. Even if he thought is was the right thing to do..it isn’t. Human beings can be wrong thinking that they are doing right. Abortion happens when people think they are doing right, domestic violence happens when someone thinks they are doing right, honor killings happen when people think they are doing right. ..thinking it is right does not make it right.

    Report Post »  
    • finwe
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 1:39am

      I really wonder if you’ve ever seen someone suffer and then die a long painful death.

      Report Post »  
    • snowleopard3200 {mix art}
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 4:13am

      @Finwe

      Yes I have, both of my grandmothers – one from alzheimers and the other from lung cancer; plus one dear friend who was like a step mother to me. She died of a long term infection that eventually did her in. The sad part with Jerry was her two eldest sons argued over who would inherit what right in front of her on her deathbed.

      In the case of those two, if I would have been this older gentleman, I have to say there is a very high probability two corpses would have been dragged out – her sons.

      All I could do with Jerry and my grandmothers is to ask of God for a quick healing or a quick release from their mortal frames. In all three cases, the latter happened within hours.

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
  • Redrox
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 1:12am

    I want to bet this was a case of euthanasia, not that I know or anything but you don’t murder your wife of 70 years. Also the fact she was in a assisted living center so likely was having a hard enough time with life that she needed 24 hour available assistance. Just a guess though, no evidence yet to prove either.

    Report Post » Redrox  
  • tbone0106
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 12:59am

    Without more information, I can’t see how any of us can draw even superficial conclusions about this. We don’t know what was wrong with her. We don’t know what was wrong with him. We don’t know how he managed to get a loaded .38 into a nursing home. More importantly, we don’t know WHY he got a loaded .38 into the nursing home.

    At his age, the shooter will certainly pay a small price for his killing, no matter what.

    Report Post »  
    • teahugger
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 9:52pm

      I agree with you…everyone is jumping to conclusions with no evidence. But how he got a loaded gun into a nursing home is no problem. In his pocket, of course! I never saw a nursing home that allowed a gun, but nor can they stop one…he just ignored the sign. That‘s why gun laws don’t work. People who are law abiding don’t cause trouble with their guns…people who aren’t law abiding do what they want with or without laws.

      Report Post » teahugger  
  • welovetheUSA
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 12:56am

    Mercy Killing……….just the way I want it.

    Report Post » welovetheUSA  
    • Dustyluv
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 5:41am

      No such thing as mercy killing…It’s called murder. Do you really want to be murdered? Think about it before you spew your ignorance of God.

      Report Post »  
  • Rob_M
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 12:52am

    Odds are it was a she‘s suffering and I’ll end it thing. But until we find out everything is just guessing.

    Report Post » Rob_M  
    • Taquoshi
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 12:45pm

      There is also the possibility that he found out that he‘s terminally ill and didn’t want to die before she did and leave her alone. It’s not a justification of what he did, but might be a factor. We simply don’t know. Odd that he didn’t feed her an overdose of sleeping pills and just let her slip away, though.

      Report Post » Taquoshi  
  • BurntHills
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 12:50am

    this poor dear elderly man. he saw what obama is doing to America and knew he better help his wife. better him than obama’s nazi death panels starving her to death or euthanizing her. God Bless Mr Laird.

    Report Post » BurntHills  
    • Exrepublisheep
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 2:37am

      Nazi death panels? 2 ludicrous ideas in 1 sentence! Death panels are/have been here for a while. They’re called H.M.O.s. Its why people need to go to Canada/Mexico for drugs. Nazi? You must have no clue what Nazi stands for. I do wonder why he did it though.

      Report Post » Exrepublisheep  
    • GhostOfJefferson
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 8:40am

      @Republisheep

      The government doesn’t give you an “out” when it sets up a death panel, insurance companies are smaller, more responsive and can be switched if you wish. Don’t you get it? Or are you so damned partisan that no matter what the Administration proposes, you’ll willingly go along? Have you no trace of independent thought left sir?

      Report Post » GhostOfJefferson  
    • aLinedog
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 9:38am

      @ Exrepublisheep

      Riggght.. and that’s why the rest of the world, those that can afford it, comes here for health care.

      In spite of the fear that their plane may be blown up. <–last sentence is satire. I mean really, what are the odds it will be a plane next? Much less yours…
      -Line
      "pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. And the latex gloves are for Your protection…"

      Report Post »  
  • aafriend
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 12:48am

    Our prayers go out to the families involved. this is a sign of the times. some of these homes are living mortuaries. If you would like to see Government run health care, this is a look into the future. the old folks in these homes are the last gaspers of a generation that worked and played by the rules to have a happy healthy retirement. the fear and mental twist of people that have been working all there lives and paying into pensions and social security don’t see much hope that it is going to be there when they need it. the ability to take care of our seniors that helped to shape this Country is fading. we all can be concerned about the children we have brought into this world and what there future and golden years are going to be like.

    Report Post » aafriend  
    • starman70
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 7:40am

      All one has to do is look up pictures of the old USSR’s “Nursing Facilities”. Oh, not the ones they used for show puropses but the ones hidden from the press. There you will see your future under Obamacare.

      May GOD bless this ladie’s soul and may GOD have mercy on him.

      Report Post »  
  • ensemble
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 12:46am

    Add your comments

    Report Post »  
  • ensemble
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 12:45am

    Even if it was a mercy killing..it is just not right.Thou shalt not murder. I have no idea what was going through his mind yet the outcome is not allowable in a civilized country. And the brutality of using a gun is inexcusable. I feel for him and his family and probably his intentions in his own mind, but that does not make it right. Just because life gets hard and maybe even painful, we do not have the right to play God and murder each other..even in the name of love.

    Report Post »  
    • RepubliCorp
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 1:33am

      I have shot sick animals with a 22 because there was no reason to let them suffer.Will I go to hell? Or did I do the right thing?

      RepubliCorp  
    • ZaphodsPlanet
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 2:04am

      Unfortunately I think I agree with you. And as for Replublidork….. THERE’S A Difference between a pet and a HUMAN. As a liberal, you probably feel that animals are actually more of a priority, but most of the time all you liberals concentrate on is how you “FEEL”…. You probably agreed with the fabian socialist in that BBC interview….. you know… if you’re child is suffering… you’d just smother them with a pillow and put them out of their misery right?

      Report Post » ZaphodsPlanet  
    • Ray2447
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 3:22am

      Let’s not kid ourselves. What he did with a gun, doctors do all the time with a hypodermic needle injection and I’m no liberal or lefty by a long shot.

      But nobody should worry about this kind of thing happening to them when they reach eighty eight. Under Obamacare, you’ll be disposed of sooner than that. Obama has plans for your tax dollars and they don’t include you living that far into old age.

      Report Post »  
    • fineyounglad
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 3:35am

      I agree with all you said except the “brutality of s gun”. A gun is probably the least brutal way he could have killed her; think of the other options.

      Report Post »  
    • aLinedog
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 9:32am

      “…outcome is not allowable in a civilized country. And the brutality of using a gun is inexcusable. ”

      Implying that some other method would be ‘less brutal’ and thereby ‘excusable’ ? Stabbing her to death, for example, would be less brutal. Or pushing her down a long flight of stairs perhaps?
      Please don’t make comments that are both unneccessary and salacious, such as you did. It really only hurts your argument. Unless you work for for one of ‘the Big Four’. (MSNBC too, but their viewership is so small…) Or Media Matters. Or NPR…
      Then it fits right in as they like to slide in unrelated logic that paints a certain bias in the reader’s/viewer’s head.
      As for the gentleman in question… I’m not commenting. Not enough data.
      -Line

      Report Post »  
  • Andrew
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 12:42am

    Well don’t go visit your grandma or grandpa anytime soon you might be submitting yourself to a full body check.

    Report Post »  
  • mikenleeds
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 12:39am

    this is sad but i d probably do the same

    Report Post » mikenleeds  
  • Mizpah55
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 12:26am

    I don’t think it was about him at all. He released her into the arms of her Heavenly Father. May God forgive him for what he did. I believe it happened because he loved her, not because there was something in it for him.

    Report Post » Mizpah55  
  • pattybbb1
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 12:15am

    This is sad. I have worked in a nursing home in the past. I imagine this was basically a mercy killing.

    Report Post »  
    • Iamfedup
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 12:57am

      I agree … and I pray that I am lucky enough to have someone who loves me so much that he would prefer to see me at peace in the arms of the Lord, rather than suffer in mind and spirit for what is left of my life here on earth.

      Report Post »  
    • Dustyluv
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 5:38am

      God is the giver and taker of life. This is no different than an abortion. He should go to prison for the rest of his life. There is no such thing as a mercy killing…It is still MURDER!

      Report Post »  
    • DagneyT
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 6:46am

      I agree, anyone who cannot see that is blind, or has no heart.

      Report Post » DagneyT  
    • Dirty Harry
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 7:51am

      Dustyluv, you’re either borderline mentally-retarded, or you you just haven’t seen much of life to comprehend things.

       
    • AzDebi
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 8:32am

      “DUSTYLUV”…so true…the old man was just sitting there…waiting…he knew what he had done…was obviously willing to pay for it…somehow, it was worth it to him…sad…I only pray that Glenn is wrong and we aren’t going to see this repeated over and over and over again…

      Report Post » AzDebi  
  • Andrew
    Posted on November 22, 2010 at 12:14am

    Really what are they going to do send an 88 year old to a prison? He probably did it on purpose so he would get taken care of better than he was at the nursing home.

    Report Post »  
    • snowleopard3200 {mix art}
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 12:46am

      The state of the American future under Obama-care; only the government will decide when it is to be done.

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • southerncross
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 3:13am

      quick………….ban all guns!
      watch, it will be the news of the day on msnbc……….BAN GUNS so crazy old farts don’t shoot their elderly wives!

      Quick, someone come and save me from wiping my own ass please…………my hands are offended!

      Report Post »  
    • tea bag patriot
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 3:43am

      His wife had obviously been seduced by communism,

      He had no choice.

      tea bag patriot  
    • SHTFMilitia.com
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 3:45am

      Yes most likely that may have been the case,
      or she was suffering and he could not take it anymore.

      If you are prepared you may survive,
      http://www.shtfmilitia.com/

      Report Post » SHTFMRadio.com -- Emergency Preparedness Radio Show  
    • quiet little lamb
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 4:39am

      hen pecked for the last time he was!

      quiet little lamb  
    • whitaker
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 5:16am

      @southerncross
      Are they will try to set an age limit on gun ownership.

      Report Post » whitaker  
    • grandmaof5
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 7:01am

      Snowleopard3200, that’s true and she probably would not have made it to 86. Obviously she has some sort of dementia, or debilitating situation or her husband would not have put her there in the first place. Very sad for the entire family.

      Report Post »  
    • MAULEMALL
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 7:34am

      “tea bag patriot
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 3:43am
      His wife had obviously been seduced by communism,

      He had no choice.”

      An 88 year old senile person seduced by communism…. Sounds like jack welch,,,

      He should think about departing soon as well.

      Report Post » MAULEMALL  
    • 2
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 9:00am

      You’re right Andrew. I would shoot my wife right now if She was bad off and some where like that. Sen. McCatskill from MO. Husband owns a bunch of them. Greedy little pigs. She is the richest Senator. John Fricking Kerry has more, but has to ask Mommie for it. He’s a real Moron. She has 2 Billion and He goes to D.C. all the time? What a Dummy. Anyway. Nursing home suck and they beat the crap out of some people. Go to YOUTUBE and look at beatings and other very bad things that happen.

       
    • Question with BOLDness
      Posted on November 22, 2010 at 10:13pm

      I’m not saying what he did was right, but he probably did it out of compassion… I wouldn’t think it would be to be malicious or mean.

      Report Post » Question with BOLDness  
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