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Soldier Charged With Murdering WifeSuspect believed wife turned daughter in to state custodyRelated Content
ANCHORAGE - A Fort Richardson soldier is facing murder charges after police say he killed his wife in a dispute over their two year old daughter. 24-year-old David Lopez didn’t enter a plea at today’s arraignment, but according to charging documents, he told investigators he shot his wife because he believed she was responsible for having their daughter placed in state’s custody. Police say the 2-year-old was taken to the base hospital on Wednesday afternoon after reports of child abuse within the Lopez family. As a result, the state Office of Children’s Services stepped in and placed the girl in protective custody. David Lopez was not at the hospital at the time but police said he called the O.C.S. office a short time later and threatened everyone there if they didn’t give his daughter back. “O.C.S. reported that he had called and said that he was going to come down and harm people or shoot them with an AK-47,” said APD’s Lieutenant Dave Parker. Parker said police had no time to track down Lopez after that because he called 911 from his apartment just 20 minutes later to report that he had shot his wife. Police said Sara Lopez was alive when they arrived, despite a gunshot wound to the head, but that she died before paramedics could arrive. Officers reported they found numerous weapons in the apartment including an AK-47 type rifle. The Army reports that Lopez is originally from Rochester, New York. He joined the Army in November of 2009 and attended basic training at Fort Benning, Georgia, before his assignment as an infantryman with the 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division at Fort Richardson in October 2010. Lopez was deployed to Afghanistan from December 2011 to October 2012. |
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Anonymous said on Thursday, Dec 13 at 8:18 PM
busy body OCS - so who in the clan of OCS did this and why again?
109168555Anonymous said on Thursday, Dec 13 at 11:35 PM
Great! He's home all of what, 6 weeks? Nooo, we don't have PTSD or anything!!
109176315Midgardian said on Friday, Dec 14 at 2:47 AM
If he's the type of person who would threaten people and shoot his wife, maybe his daughter needed to be taken away.
109181276ColdNAK said on Friday, Dec 14 at 9:41 AM
So Sad! Another innocent child left without parents. Hope he thanks himself for ruining this childs Christmas for life. She will always remember this time of year as when she lost her mother. I am a 100% supporter of troops but this was selfish and idiotic. I hope this child has family who will raise her with lots of love.
109208085George Blair said on Friday, Dec 14 at 1:18 PM
We need to continue and increase mental health care of returning soldiers. Mostly we need to stop the repeated deployments, and get the hell out of Afghanistan. We pray for him, and for his family.
109227576Anonymous said on Friday, Dec 14 at 2:13 PM
they don't care...when you realize that no one cares it will be all right...
109231146Barbara said on Saturday, Dec 15 at 2:42 AM
This was my husband's(Burt)niece. We live in Syracuse, New York. Sara was from Rochester, New York. My husband just recently lost his mother this year and two uncles. My husband Burt's sister Pam(Sara"s mother)Sara was her only child. I have read all of the comments posted so far. Unless you have been physically or mentally abused you cannot make stupid assumptions you know nothing about. Coming from an abusive marriage(my first husband)who was an ex-cop, he physically abused me and my oldest son for 10 years. Every time I reported him to the local authorities they did nothing because he was an ex-cop. If in fact Mr. Lopez was abusing their two year old child he most likely was abusing his wife Sara. The military claim they are against domestic violence, however, they often sweep it under the rug. My advise to anyone who is with someone who is abusive. Get out! Even if it mental abuse.If they hit you once! They will hit you again and again. You could end up like Sara!
109262926Sue said on Monday, Dec 17 at 11:32 AM
how horrible, this child has been through more than most of us and she is only been here 2 years.... I hope she will be placed into a loving home and not someone who only wants to collect the money for fostering children. May her life be blessed.
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