Invest Report Web

8/2/2019 Invest Report Web

1/13

~ 2fss ~ ~ , < < THECOMMON EALTHOFMASSACHUSETTSOFFICEOFTHE

" ~ ~ * ~ DISTRICT ATTORNEYFOR THEESSEX ISTRICT'y~,,~~ SALEM NEWBURYPORT LAWRENCE~ , ~~

JONATHAN W.BLODGETTD i s t r i c t A t t o r n e y

Chief Mark Ra yBeverly o l i c e Department191 Cabot t r e e tBeverly, Massachu setts 01915Chief u s s e l l StevensHamilton P o l i c e Department265 B ay RoadHamilton, Massachusetts 01982

Te n F e d e r a l S t r e e tSalem, Massachusetts 01970

March 15, 2012

TELEPHONEVOICE (978)745-661FAX (978)741-497TTY (978)741-316

RE: n v e s t i g a t i o n into February 24 , 01 2 f f i c e r-involved shooting and s u i c i d e atthe Starbucks at 25Enon t r e e t , Beverly

Dear Chiefs Ray nd S t e v e n s :Th e Esse x County i s t r i c t A t t o r n e y ' s O f f i c e has concluded i t s i n v e s t i g a t i o n i n t o th e

February 24 ,2012 non- f a t a l s h o o t i n g of off- d u t y Beverly P o l i c e O f f i c e r Jason Lantych(Lantych") y of f- d u t y Hamilton P o l i c e Sergeant Kenneth Nagy(Nagy" ) , and Nagy'ssubsequent u i c i d e .

As ou know, h i s O f f i c e has, by s t a t u t e , th e duty an d a u t h o r i t y t o d i r e c t and c o n t r o l a l ldeath i n v e s t i g a t i o n s i n Essex County. Pursuant to th e same s t a t u t e , I d e s i g n a t e d t h eMassachusetts S t a t e P o l i c e , a s s i g n e d to h i s O f f i c e , t o conduct a thorough i n v e s t i g a t i o n i n t o th ef a c t s and circumstances s u i 7 ~ o u n d i n g t h e shooting an d s u i c i d e . C o n s i s t e n t with ou r mandate, heprimary goal of he i n v e s t i g a t i o n was o determine whether th e circumstances d i s c l o s ep r o s e c u t a b l e c r i m i n a l a c t i v i t y on th e p a r t of ome person or e n t i t y . Following h a tcomprehensive review,I have concluded h a t th e circumstances do not d i s c l o s e any p r o s e c u t a b l ecrimes.

Th e e v e n t s of February24 ere shocking an d deeply u n s e t t l i n g . An ff- d u t y p o l i c eo f f i c e r using h i s s e r v i c e weapon twice shot a n o t h e r p o l i c e o f f i c e r o u t s i d e a crowded S t a r b u c k s ,an d l a t e r r e t m - n e d t o th e scene an d took h i s own i f e . Nagy was a 19- y e a r p o l i c e v e t e r a n with awife an d two young h i l d r e n . Lantych, a 10- y e a r p o l i c e v e t e r a n , was e r i o u s l y wounded b u t , du el a r g e l y t o t h e h e r o i c e f f o r t s of uick-t h i n k i n g b y s t a n d e r s , i s now e c o v e r i n g .

In o r d e r t o ensure th e utmost b j e c t i v i t y , I s s i g n e d t h e i n v e s t i g a t i o n t o s e n i o r S t a t eP o l i c e D e t e c t i v e s , who i d not know r p r e v i o u s l y work with Nagy r Lantych. In t u r n , as n al lc a s e s , h i s O f f i c e has t aken g r e a t c a r e i n thoroughly reviewing th e e p o r t s and th e m a t e r i a l sg a t h e r e d by h e s e i n v e s t i g a t o r s , which i n c l u d e s o m e Z1 c i t i z e n-witness n t e r v i e w s , s e c u r i t y


2/13

2

videotape footage, audio r e c o r d i n g s , a l l i s t i c s evidence, c om pu ter o r e n s i c a n a l y s i s , a n d p h o n er e c o r d s .

A ummary f he f a c t s d i s c l o s e d i n the i n v e s t i g a t i o n follows:Ba ck gr o u n dNagy i v e d i n R o w l e y w i th h i s wife Katherine Nagy(Katherine") n d t h e i r t w o young

c h i l d r e n . Katherine works as a n advocate for d omes t i c violence victims for the n o n p r o f i t agency,HAWC, n d er a grant t o the Beverly Police Department. Lantych,who i v e s i n Hamilton, ha dreceived s p e c i a l i z e d t r a i n i n g i n d omes t i c v i o l e n c e c a s e s , a n d worked with Katherine a t theBeverly Police De p ar tm e n t .

On hursday, ebruary 23, 012 t about 7:00 i n the morning, Nagy r r i v e d a t home nR o w l e y from h i s midnight s h i f t a t the H am i l t o n Police Department. At 10:00 h a t morning, hea t t e n d e d a d o c t o r ' s appointment; he w a s p r e s c r i b e d medication, o l o f t . ~ Two ours a t e r , Nagyme t Katherine a t the Beverly Police s a t e l l i t e o f f i c e wher e she works a n d they discussed h i smedical appointment.

At :00 h a t evening, Nagy nd Katherine attended the funeral w ak e/ s e r v i c e for r e t i r e dH am i l t o n Police Sergeant P a u l Grant. Nagy w a s posted i n uniform a t the entrance to the funeralh o m e . Nagy e f t the s e r v i c e e a r l y . At bout 7:30 P.M., h e w e n t o the S p r i n t s t o r e a t 11 Eno nS t r e e t i n Beverly complaining o f roblems w i th h i s c e l l pho n e . He a d small a l k w i th anotherSprint em ployee whom he k n e w ; Nagy hook han ds with h i s person before leaving the s t o r e .Nagy e n t home t some oint f t e r w a r d ; he w a s scheduled to w o r k the midnight s h i f t a t theH am i l t o n Police Department. He e n t to bed.

At idnight,Nagy e f t the hous e i n Rowley. He id no t g o to work, but i n s t e a d c a l l e d ins i c k a n d drov e around for some eriod o f ime. Ab ou t a n hour a t e r(o n Friday,February 24,2012, h e d a y o f he s h o o t i n g ) , he r e t u r n e d home n d woke atherine. Th ey discussed i s s u e sr e l a t i n g to h e i r marriage, including h i s b e l i e f h a t she w a s having a n improper r e l a t i o n s h i p withLantych. Included i n the d i s c u s s i o n w a s the p o s s i b i l i t y o f d i v o r c e . Th ey planned h a t , l a t e r t h a tmorning, he w o u l d g o to he r p a r e n t s ' house i n H am i l t o n; h e w o u l d drop of f h e i r t w o c h i l d r e nt h e r e a t 1:00 P . M . An o ur a t e r(about 2:00 A.M.),Nagy e f t the R o w l e y house a n d c a l l e d af r i e n d . During h i s conversation, Nagy a s c o m p o s e d a n d w a s d i s c u s s i n g h i s f i r t u r e p l a n s .

At bout 6:15 A.M., atherine e f t R o w l e y for her p a r e n t s ' hous e i n Hamilton. Fiveminutes l a t e r , Nagy e x t e d Lantych, t a t i n g ,"Hey ay ... hanks a o t , buddy." He a l l e dLantych a n e x p l e t i v e a n d s a i d ," S e e yo u s o o n my r i e n d . " At :45 A.M., atherine, e n route tohe r p a r e n t s ' house, a l l e d Lantych a n d o l d hi m a b o ut he r conversation with Nagy. As he y w erespeaking,Nagy a l l e d Lantych; they spoke an d Nagy onfronted hi m about the r e l a t i o n s h i p .Lantych s a i d , i t ' s n ot w h a t yo u h i n k , Ken" n d o f f e r e d to s p e ak with hi m i n person. T heconversation e n d e d .

At :00 P.M., Nagy r r i v e d w i th the c h i l d r e n a t Katherine's p a r e n t s ' h o m e . He pokewith Katherine; he w a s d i s t r a u g h t . He o l d he r he w a s g o i n g o move hings around i n the a t t i ct h a t d a y a t the hou se i n Rowley, n d they planned t h a t she w o u l d r e t u r n to t h e hous e h a t night t

'olice confirmed t h a t he f i l l e d t h i s p r e s c r i p t i o n p r i o r to the shooting. Toxicology r e s u l t sconcerning the presence or e v e l s o f h i s drug i n Nagy's bloo d a t the time o f i s death have no tyet b een r e t u r n e d .


3/13


4/13

couple o f h i n g s . " As h e b y s t a n d e r s r e n d e r e d a i d , Lantych's m ot h er a i ~ i v e d a n d b eg anscreaming; y s t a n d e r s r e a s s u r e d h e r t h a t Lantych wa s l i v e .

M ea nwh i l e, i t h i n minutes o f h e d i s p a t c h , n u m e r o u s Beverly P o l i c e u n i t s responded t o ac h a o t i c s c e n e . N u m e r o u s p o o l s o f blood were i s i b l e between t h e f r o n t s t e p s o f h e a d j o i n i n gE a s t e r n B a n kATM n d t h e f r o n t d oor o f h e S t a r b u c k s , a n d a group o f eople surroundedLantych. O f f i c e r s s e c u r e d t h e S t a r b u c k s , h e a d j o i n i n g E a s t e r n B a n k , n d t h e E a s t e r n B a n k a n dStop &Shop a r k i n g l o t s t o e n s u r e t h e s h o o t e r wa s not t i l l p r e s e n t , w h i l e o t h e r o f f i c e r s a s s i s t e di n r e n d e r i n g a i d t o Lantych. EMTs r r i v e d a n d Lantych wa s r a n s p o r t e d t o Beverly H o s p i t a l .S t a t e P o l i c e p e r s o n n e l a r r i v e d . A e c u r i t y p e r i m e t e r wa s e s t a b l i s h e d around t h e crime s c e n e ,w i t n e s s e s were h e l d t o be n t e r v i e w e d , a n d p o l i c e bega n t o p r o c e s s t h e crime s c e n e . A p e n tp r o j e c t i l e wa s e c o v e r e d from t h e a r e a i n f r o n t o f h e S t a r b u c k s b y a b y s t a n d e r a n d t u r n e d o v e r t op o l i c e .

Th e u i c i d eA BOLO a s s s u e d f o r Na g y , i t h c a u t i o n t h a t h e wa s wanted f o r armed a s s a u l t w i t h

i n t e n t t o m urder a n d s h o u l d be c o n s i d e r e d a r m e d a n d d a n g e r o u s . A f t e r r e p e a t e d a t t e m p t s t o r e a c ha n d a s c e r t a i n t h e well- b e i n g o f a t h e r i n e a n d h e r c h i l d r e n ( K a t h e r i n e ' s p h o n e h a d bee n o f f l ,p o l i c e r e a c h e d h e r a t her p a r e n t s ' h o m e . O f f i c e r s were p o s t e d t h e r e t o e n s u r e t h e i r s a f e t y .

At about 6:50 P.M ., t a t e P o l i c e a nd Rowl e y o l i c e f o r c e f u l l y e n t e r e d t h e N a g y h o m e i nR owley o cond uct a w e l f a r e check. They found n o o n e h o m e . A u i c i d e n o t e from N a g y wa sfound w i t h a l a r g e a m o u n t o f ash next o i t . Th e n o t e ga ve n o i n d i c a t i o n o fNagy ' s c u r r e n tw h e r e a b o u t s . In r e l e v a n t p a r t , t d i s c l o s e d t h a t h e i n t e n d e d t o shoot L a n t y c h i f h e wa s a b l e t om e e t w i t h h i m t h a t e v e n i n g , a n d t h e n k i l l himself I t a l s o i n c l u d e d d e t a i l e d i n f o r m a t i o n o n h ef a m i l y ' s f i n a n c e s , i n s u r a n c e p o l i c i e s , a n d i n s t r u c t i o n s f o r h i s f u n e r a l a r r a n g e m e n t s . Th e housewa s s e c u r e d pend ing t h e i s s u a n c e o f s e a r c h w a r r a n t . S t a t e P o l i c e i n t e r v i e w e d K a t h e r i n e a t herp a r e n t s ' h o m e n Hamilton. S h e wa s unaware o fNagy's p l a n s t o s h o o t Lantych, h a d not e a r dfrom h i m t h a t a f t e r n o o n , a n d d i d not k n o w h i s whereabouts. S h e r e l a t e d t h e s u b s t a n c e o f h ec o n v e r s a t i o n s she h a d w i t h h i m i n t h e e a r l y m or n i n g a n d a f t e r n o o n o f ebruary 24, a n d c o n s e n t e dt o t h e s e a r c h o f e r h o m e n Rowley.

At 10:30 P.M ., a n o f f i c e r i n a p a r k e d c r u i s e r marking h e o u t e r p e r i m e t e r o f h e crimescene a t 2 5 E n o n S t r e e t s a w N a g y n t h e SUV a v e l i n g S outh o n E n o n S t r e e t . N a g y u r n e d i n t ot h e S t a r b u c k s p a r k i n g l o t a n d drove slowly p a s t t h e c r u i s e r , w i t h o u t l o o k i n g t o h i s l e f t a t t h ecrime s c e n e . He rove i n t o t h e lower p a r k i n g l o t b e h i n d S t a t b u c k s a n d p a r k e d . There were n oo t h e r p e o p l e i n t h e l o t . Th e p l a t e wa s confirmed as Nagy's, a n d p o l i c e took u p p o s i t i o n s n e a r t h er e a r o f h e SiJV, whi c h wa s not running a n d h a d n o l i g h t s o n. I t wa s s o o n d i s c o v e r e d t h a t Na g y ,wh o wa s i t t i n g i n t h e o p e r a t o r ' s s e a t w i t h a h a n d g u n i n h i s l a p , h a d t a k e n h i s l i f e . A o p y o f h es u i c i d e n o t e a n d a o u i n a l 3 were b e s i d e him. An u t o p s y determined t h e cause o f e a t h wa s as i n g l e gunshot w o u n d o t h e h e a d a n d t h e m a n n e r o f e a t h a s u i c i d e .

Th e o l l o w i n g day, t a t e P o l i c e s e a r c h e d t h e N a g y h o m e n Rowley. A e s k t o p c om pu t ers c r e e n h a d a n i m a g e o f h e f i r s t p a ge o f h e s u i c i d e n o t e . That computer,a a p t o p computer, h e

2 C o n s i s t e n t w i t h t h e long-s t a n d i n g p r a c t i c e o f h i s O f f i c e , out o f e s p e c t f o r t h e p r i v a c y i n t e r e s t so f u r v i v i n g family m e m b e r s , h e n o t e w i l l not be p u b l i c l y re l e a s e d . S e e G.L. . 4,7 l . 2 6 ( c ) .3 Pursuant o t h e a b o v e mentioned s t a t u t e (G.L. . 4,7 l . 2 6 ( c ) ) , t h e j o u r n a l w i l l a l s o not bep u b l i c l y r e l e a s e d .


5/13

5

n o t e , and t h e c a s h found w i t h t ($3900) ere s e i z e d . A o r e n s i c e x a m i n a t i o n of h e d e s k t o pcomputer d i s c l o s e d t h a t t h e s u i c i d e n o t e w a s r e a t e d a t a p p r o x i m a t e l y 5 : 0 0 P.M. on F e b r u a r y 24,l e s s t h a n an hour b e f o r e t h e s h o o t in g .

Th e SUV as impounded and s e a r c h e d . Three expended s h e l l c a s i n g s were e c o v e r e dfrom t h e SiJV i n t e r i o r . Th e M a s s a c h u s e t t s S t a t e P o l i c e F i r e a r m I d e n t i f i c a t i o n S e c t i o n d e t e r m i n e d .t h a t t h e w e ap o n u s e d by Nagy o c o m m i t u i c i d e w as h i s d e p a r t m e n t- i s s u e d .40 c a l i b e r Glock.Th e l u e e expended s h e l l c a s i n g s found i n t h e SUV ere l l f i r e d from t h a t weapon.4

ConclusionBased upon h i s p e r c e p t i o n of e l a t i o n s h i p between Lantych and h i s w i f e , Nagy w i c e

s h o t Lantych a t t h e S t a r b u c k s . He l e d , r e t u r n e d t o t h e s c e n e , and k i l l e d h i m s e l f .As o t e d , h e mandate of h e D i s t r i c t A t t o r n e y i n such c a s e s i s t o d e t e r m i n e whether a

p r o s e c u t a b l e c r i m e has been c o m m i t t e d . I have d e t e t 7 n in e d t h e r e i s no such c r i m e , a p a r t from t h es h o o t i n g committed by h e d e c e a s e d Nagy. T h e r e f o r e , h i s i n v e s t i g a t i o n i s c o n c l u d e d .

L a s t l y , t i s a p p r o p r i a t e t o r e c o g n i z e t h e a c t i o n s of h e a f o r e m e n t i o n e d c i t i z e n b y s t a n d e r sw h o e n d e r e d l i f e -s a v i n g i r s t a i d t o Lantych u n t i l m e d i c a l p e r s o n n e l a r r i v e d a t t h e s c e n e .

S i n c e r e l y

4 Th e s p e n t p r o j e c t i l e found o u t s i d e t h e S t a r b u c k s w as o o damaged o i d e n t i f y p o s i t i v e l y a scoming from t h e weapon.


6/13

-_,

~

W

~

ate;

'`

_-

;

.air


7/13

_ ~

~~

~ L ~

~


8/13

,

~.

~.

~y

tr

."

''

1.

~

~

~'

1


9/13

"


10/13


11/13

'r

~~, , y ,

i~" ' ~

; ' a

~_F': 9


12/13

;~ ; ~." ~ ~ ~

_ .- - ~' ~. f ~

~~9 ~ ' ~ ~ ~

, : r~` ~3

'~

~.

a y ;~: .~ _

- _ - i - ' . .

~ ~f i t '

_ s i4 ,

~~;

_ j

~ ~ .

_ , . ~ ~'~ i l i a < . ~ . _ ~_ . . _ _ -~"~{ _ _~' ~ _ ---A n a : ; :, ~_ -v'

j '

~ .~.s ~ : ~

M~ 4J~~s y P . _

p

N ~ ' - , :t,~~ , - ~ ~ ~ ,F.''~~~a ~

-~~~.~ ~


13/13

~

_

.

.

.:a:'.

m

y ,

Documents

Invest Report Web