NY - Two firefighters & woman slain, 3 injured in Webster ambush, 24 Dec 2012

[Steely Dan]

Spengler served 17 years in prison for beating his 92-year-old grandmother, Rose Spengler, to death with a hammer.

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20121224/NEWS01/312240026/Webster-firefighters-shot-killed-Rochester?odyssey=mod%7Cbreaking%7Cimg%7CHome

I can't find a link, but another snippet on google (I can't find it within the numerous links) states the beating of his grandmother occured during an argument over something about her basement.


I think in addition to mental illness and guns, we need to know why these mentally ill convicted killers are let out of prison and fall off the radar. I think the public deserves to know the reason he was let out and off the radar.

He came off parole in 2006 if I heard it correctly.

 

[LarkBunting]

He murdered his grandmother with a hammer??? He should never have been released from prison. This *expletive* got a second chance at life. Now, will these innocent firefighters slaughtered on Christmas Eve...will they get a second chance? Will their families get a second chance at having their loved ones back? Nope.
I'm a peaceful person, but it really seems to me that the bullets that killed innocent heroes today would have been better put to use executing the shooter -- before he had the chance to become a shooter!
Really, did anyone think a man who killed his own grandmother with a hammer would rehabilitate into a peaceful, law abiding human being?
Where is justice?????
RIP, firefighting heroes. My prayers go out to your loved ones today.

 

[gm8549]

Please remove that mugshot link...if you check the dates and age...it is a totally different person

 

[wfgodot]

13-WHAM still has "Spengler" pic up.

Here's MSM on the grandmother death:

---
Spengler served 17 years in prison for beating his 92-year-old grandmother, Rose Spengler, to death with a hammer. He was released in 1998. The killing happened on July 18, 1980 inside 193 Lake Road. At the time, Spengler lived at 191 Lake Road, the home where firefighters were responding today when they were shot.
---

http://www.democratandchronicle.com...ebster-shooter-jailed-killing-his-grandmother (lengthy article here, btw)

 

[jjenny]

How did this guy get weapons? Being a felon, he shouldn't have had any?

 

[Cubby]

Please remove that mugshot link...if you check the dates and age...it is a totally different person

WHAM is wrong. More poor reporting. If they had read what was with the mugshot they'd see this WS is in Peoria county, IL, not in NY. Now a totally different person in an entirely different state has his photo being floated in the media as the shooter in this case.

The media needs to do a better job vetting their info. :banghead:

 

[wfgodot]

And on the missing sister, and mental illness:

---
"Looking at his history, obviously this is an individual who has a lot of problems, who killed his grandmother, and I'm sure there were mental health issues," Police Chief Gerald Pickering said.

He said Spengler's 67-year-old sister, Cheryl Spengler, was unaccounted for. He lived in the house with his sister and mother, Arline, who died in October.
---

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2012/12/24/webster-new-york-firefighter-shot/1788917/

New AP update: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/firefighter-shot-scene-blaze-western-ny

 

[MsFacetious]

Greece Police Chief Todd Baxter said off-duty officer Jon Ritter was on his way to work this morning, driving behind a fire truck that was responding to the Lake Road fire.
At least two rounds hit his truck, one going through the windshield, the other into his engine block.

Ritter backed out of the area, jumped out of the truck and prevented any other motorists or firefighters from entering the “kill zone,” said Greece Police Chief Todd Baxter.

--------------------

Damico’s son woke him up around 8 a.m. to tell him about the fire that was burning down the street.

“We looked out the window and we saw the SWAT team and everyone around,” he said.

“Some people on this bus already watched their houses burn,” Damico said. “They’re not happy.”

http://www.democratandchronicle.com...jailed-killing-his-grandmother?nclick_check=1



I am glad that this officer prevented more people from entering the area.

I am also hoping that we won't end up with people suing the fire department for letting their houses burn.

 

[Cubby]

The gunman, William Spengler, had served more than 17 years in prison for beating his 92-year-old grandmother to death with a hammer in 1980 at the house next to where Monday's attack happened, Pickering said at afternoon news conference. Spengler, 62, was paroled in 1998 and had led a quiet life since, authorities said. Convicted felons are not allowed to possess weapons.

<snip>

Spengler had originally been charged with second-degree murder in connection with grandmother Rose Spengler's death. He pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of manslaughter.

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/firefighter-shot-scene-blaze-western-ny


Now I'm curious why they allowed the plea.

 

[jjenny]

The gunman, William Spengler, had served more than 17 years in prison for beating his 92-year-old grandmother to death with a hammer in 1980 at the house next to where Monday's attack happened, Pickering said at afternoon news conference. Spengler, 62, was paroled in 1998 and had led a quiet life since, authorities said. Convicted felons are not allowed to possess weapons.

<snip>

Spengler had originally been charged with second-degree murder in connection with grandmother Rose Spengler's death. He pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of manslaughter.

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/firefighter-shot-scene-blaze-western-ny


Now I'm curious why they allowed the plea.

Since he killed his own relative, the rest of the family probably didn't object to the plea. If prosecution doesn't have anybody demanding justice, they will take a way of least resistance.

 

[Cubby]

Since he killed his own relative, the rest of the family probably didn't object to the plea. If prosecution doesn't have anybody demanding justice, they will take a way of least resistance.

The path of least resistance leads to what happened this morning. I'm sure the judge and prosecutors are giving pause to their decision today. At least I hope they are. I know I sure wouldn't want to be responsible for making the choice to incarcerate a murderer for such a short time. Someone made the decision to let this guy out after a short time. :furious:

 

[wfgodot]

A couple news clippings from the "killed grandmother" case:

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/assets/pdf/A21985601224.PDF

 

[jjenny]

A couple news clippings from the "killed grandmother" case:

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/assets/pdf/A21985601224.PDF

So he plead guilty to manslaughter to "spare his family the pain of the trial?"
Then he got out, and here we are: they are yet to find his sister, but I am concerned she is no longer with us either.

 

[Cubby]

A couple news clippings from the "killed grandmother" case:

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/assets/pdf/A21985601224.PDF

Pilato said he is satisfied with the manslaughter charge. "The man had no prior criminal record, and although it was a serious matter, the manslaughter charge doesn't mean he's getting away with the candy store".

Oh, wow, the candy store huh? While he didn't get away with the candy store, he did get the opportunity to murder again, not once, but at least twice, depending on whether any more of this mornings victims succumb to their injuries and whether his sister is found alive or not. :furious:

 

[ohiogirl]

So sad for these victims. And I am truly angry that he was only given such a short sentence for murdering his grandmother with a hammer! That is much more personal than a gun! I will never understand such a light sentence for such a heinous crime! Our justice system truly sucks!

 

[wfgodot]

Christmas Eve: seven first responders/LE shot, or found shot; four of them dead.

Houston (WS thread)

Milwaukee (AP link)

 

[zwiebel]

He could have served 25 years too, but only did 17. Those poor firefighters. Their poor families.

Senseless. I am glad this man has gone. Just wish he could have been gone without taking others with him.

 

[noZme]

Did everyone read that old news story? Spengler served 17 years for murdering his grandmother.... beat her head to a pulp with a hammer, staged it to look like she fell down the cellar stairs, he was 30, she was 92....why was that 2nd degree? & he inherited granny's house? .... just damn!

I have so much admiration for firefighters, law enforcement & especially the volunteers. God bless these fallen heros in NY & their families. The holidays are forever changed for them.

 

[Steely Dan]

I'm watching the news and there isn't much more right now.

 

[SwampMama]

This saddens me on so many levels. I have many firefighters in my family, my late fiance was one and my current fiance (Mr Swamp) is one as well. I am also a first responder on our local volunteer fire department. My sister is married to a firefighter and Mr Swamp's brother and dad are firefighters too.

This is just heartbreaking to think that these guys went to help and were gunned down by someone who should have never seen the light of day after brutally killing his grandmother.

My late fiance used to take the initiative and work on Christmas eve and Christmas morning so his guys with young kids could be home with their families. How sad to think that these 2 firefighters are not going home and their families will forever be scarred by this happening at Christmas. It's one thing to die in the line of duty in a fire but no firefighter expects to be shot and killed by a lunatic. So sad.

Many prayers for the families.