subscribesubscriber servicescontact usabout ussite mapBuy a Classified
Sun, Nov 23 2008 

Published: November 08, 2007 11:31 pm    print this story   email this story   comment on this story  

Well-known Merom resident dies after attempting early morning murder-suicide

By Arthur Foulkes
The Tribune-Star

MEROM A Merom man was shot by his father-in-law early Thursday, who then turned the gun on himself, police said.

The shootings, which took place around 6 a.m., apparently occurred in the driveway of the home of Oscar C. Thompson, 74, a well-known Merom resident.

According to a preliminary Indiana State Police investigation, Thompson shot Travis Beard, 36, in the head while the victim sat in his car preparing to leave for work, police said.

Thompson then shot himself fatally in the head, according to the preliminary report.

Beard was taken to Sullivan County Community Hospital before being airlifted to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, where he was listed in fair but stable condition later Thursday.

“I didn’t know he was having any problems,” said Darrel Bradford of Merom, who had known Thompson for several years. The two men had spoken Tuesday and Thompson did not indicate anything was wrong. “I just didn’t see it coming,” Bradford said.

State Police would not comment on a possible motive in the shooting other than to say it resulted from a domestic argument between the pair.

Beard is married to Monica Beard, the granddaughter of Thompson, who legally adopted her as his daughter, police said.

The Sullivan County Sheriff’s Department is assisting in the investigation, State Police officials said.

The Beards had been living at Thompson’s home since shortly after Thompson’s wife, Janice, died in August, neighbors said.

“You could see a marked difference” in Thompson after his wife’s death, said John Sullivan, owner of the Meleah Cafe next door to the Thompson’s home. “He was never really the same” after her death, he said.

Oscar Thompson had owned the cafe before selling it to Sullivan about one year ago, Sullivan said. Thompson was in the cafe Tuesday and gave no indication anything like Thursday’s shooting was going to happen, Sullivan said.

Thompson was active in politics in Merom and was the kind of person who would do you a favor and not expect anything in return, Bradford said.

Merom is a village of about 300 residents, southwest of Sullivan. The town is best known for its scenic bluffs that overlook the Wabash River.

Things like Thursday’s shooting do not happen in Merom, Sullivan said, shaking his head inside his cafe while local residents gathered around a television to watch a Terre Haute TV news broadcast originating right outside.

“When something like this happens, it really shakes you to the bone,” Sullivan said.

Arthur Foulkes can be reached at (812) 231-4232 or arthur.foulkes@tribstar.com.

print this story   email this story   comment on this story  

Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.



Photos


Early morning shooting: 2168 South Third Street in Merom was the location of an attempted murder and suicide early Thursday morning. Joseph C. Garza/The Tribune-Star (Click for larger image)


Crime scene: Indiana State Police detectives Hans Nowak and Chris Wright talk in the drive-way of a Merom home where an attempted murder/suicide occurred earlier in the morning Thursday. Joseph C. Garza/The Tribune-Star (Click for larger image)



Television Tonight

Terre Haute News Let Mark Know!

monster
wheels
Premier Guide
Find a business

Walking Fingers
Maps, Menus, Store hours, Coupons, and more...
Premier Guide
Terre Haute News Morning Headlines

Terre Haute ClickLocal

Terre Haute Tribune-Star Newspaper Dial-A-Pro

Terre Haute Tribune-Star Newspaper Live in the Clubs

Terre Haute News on Twitter

Today's Featured Jobs

Nurses & CNA's
Meadows
Manor North
Nurses
3:00-11:00
CNAs
Good work environ-
ment and supportive
st
...>MORE

Household Help
seeking House-
hold help. Cook,
clean laundry & pool
$8 hr., 15-20 hrs per
week. Krislynn
W
...>MORE

Full Time Secretary
Full-time Secretary/
Appointment schedu-
ler needed for local
leader in the hearing
healthcare se
...>MORE

See all ads

Today's Featured Autos

94 Ford F250
94 ford F-250XL,
5.0, V-8, auto, good
tires, nice truck
$2600 243-6331

...>MORE

93 Lexus
‘93 Lexus LS 400,
Diamond pearl
white, silver trim, blk
leather. High mi.
$4500 240-0139
<
...>MORE

05 Honda Accord
05 honda Accord
EX, 4 dr, AT, all
power, sunrf, XM,
CD, 75k, $12,700
obo (765)653-7846
...>MORE

See all ads

Today's Featured Homes

20th & Washington

Coml duplex,
beauty shop occu-
pies half. $900/mo
income. 20th &
Washington.
$45,500
...>MORE

Mt Vernon Apts
MT. VERNON APTS
1-2 Bdrm brick 1 mi E
Honey Ck Mall, C/A,
private patio. $425/
$525. 249-0214
...>MORE

2591 S 25th St
Harrison/Harrison
West Apts
2591 S 25th St
1 2 & 3 BDRM APTS
as low as $440 mo
234-4514 Mon-Fr
...>MORE

See all ads

Today's Cool Stuff

8 Varieties of Apples
West Orchard N. off
SR 340 on 500W.
Brazil Mon-Sat 9-5.
8 Varieties

...>MORE

Washer & Dryer
Washer & dryer.
Works well. $125/
both. (812)299-2029
or (812)605-9077

...>MORE

Washer
Frigidaire Front
loading washer, Pd.
$600 New, Take
$400obo 229-8016

...>MORE

See all ads


 

Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.CNHI Classified Advertising NetworkCNHI News Service
Associated Press content © 2008. All rights reserved. AP content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Our site is powered by Zope and our Internet Yellow Pages site is powered by PremierGuide.
Some parts of our site may require you to download the Flash Player Plugin.
View our Privacy Policy
Advertiser index