Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Man sentenced to life in prison for double-murder

53-year-old Saul Moreno was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, as well as 102 years to life in prison for the murders of 55-year-old Alan Bohnhoff and 31-year-old Jamie Sanchez. The judge in the case said he was "astonished to see a man with no previous criminal record responsible for such a senseless killing."
Moreno worked with Bohnhoff and Sanchez at a lumber yard in Vernon, California. He was passed over for a promotion in 2006 when Sanchez was promoted. Moreno felt not only that he deserved the promotion but that he was being assigned work that should have been given to Sanchez.
On the morning of May 18, 2009, Moreno showed up for work with a .40-caliber semi-automatic handgun. According to court transcripts Moreno made a comment to the effect of "things are going to change, I'm not the same man today," and then shot Bohnhooff and Sanchez to death. He was initially charged with attempted murder because he allegedly tried to shoot Bohnhoff's son but failed because his gun jammed. A judge dismissed the charge.
Moreno was heard talking about shooting Bohnhoff and his son months before the killing. Records indicate that the reason Moreno was not promoted was "he had a problem getting along with other coworkers and customers. He wasn't a people person."

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Hance purchased gun from pawn shop five days before killings

51-year-old Michael Hance of Copley Township, Ohio purchased one of the two guns he used in a shooting spree, a .45-caliber handgun, at a pawn shop in Barberton, OH five days before going on a shooting rampage. Because Hance had no criminal record he easily passed the criminal background check and took immediate possession of the gun. A dispute between Hance and his longtime girlfriend, Becky Dieter, over the home where they lived apparently led to the shootings. Hance killed seven people before being shot and killed by police.
Autopsy reports show six of the seven victims died from gunshot wounds to the head. Hance's neighbor, 67-year-old Russell Johnson, died from gunshot wounds to the head and chest. He was also shot twice in the buttocks.
Russell's wife, 64-year-old Gerdie Johnson, died from a single gunshot to the head. She was shot four times.
The couple's son, 44-year-old Bryan Johnson, was killed by multiple gunshot wounds to his head. He was shot five times.
Bryan's daughter, 16-year-old Autumn Johnson, died from gunshot wounds to the chest, neck, and extremities.
Autumn's friend, 16-year-old Amelia Shambaugh, died from a single gunshot wound to the head. She was also shot in the leg. The two teenagers were killed while sitting in a car in the Johnson's driveway.
51-year-old Craig Dieter, brother of Hance's girlfriend Becky, died from multiple gunshot wounds to the head.
Craig's 11-year-old son Scott was reportedly hunted down by Hance. Scott died of a single gunshot to the head.
Becky Dieter was shot several times but survived. She remains in a local hospital where she is recovering from her injuries.