A tragic crime in Indiana has shocked the small community of Haubstadt. A 77-year-old man named Patrick Waite is accused of murdering his wife, mother-in-law, and stepson after facing the possibility of losing his home where he lived for more than 25 years.
What Happened During the Incident?
The Gibson County Sheriff’s Office reported that the shootings took place around 8:30 p.m. on Thursday at a house on South Scottsdale Drive. Patrick Waite called 911 himself to say he had shot four people in the home.
Police quickly arrived and found Waite at the scene. He showed officers where he had left the gun, a .45 Smith and Wesson, which was found on a lawn mower in the garage. Inside the house, police discovered the victims.
The Victims and Injuries
Waite’s 61-year-old wife, Alma Waite, was found dead in the kitchen. In the den, police found three more victims: Alma’s 81-year-old mother, Gloria Garcia Tapia, who was shot while lying in a medical bed, and two sons. One son, aged 39, Fernando Tapia Ramirez Sr., was killed. The other son, 44 years old, survived gunshot wounds to the neck and chest.
A child witnessed the shootings and escaped to a bathroom upstairs, where two adults were also safe.
What Patrick Waite Told Police
After his arrest, Waite said he had been married to Alma for about two years. They had been thinking about separating, but he didn’t want a divorce. He told police he went outside to shoot a water snake and came back inside with the gun in his pocket.
According to Waite, his wife was upset because he left the house to attend Bible study instead of caring for her mother, Gloria, who needed help. She was also unhappy that Waite still kept the gun.
Waite said he asked his wife about some paperwork she had. She told him she had filed a quitclaim deed, which transferred the ownership of their home to her daughter. Waite said he refused to move from the house he had lived in for 27 years.
