Friday was a day of tears for Lattin and the “devastated” employees of the cider mill, who are mourning the loss of friend and co-worker Kay Langford, Lattin said.
Langford’s estranged ex-boyfriend, Roy Franco, ran Langford down with a sawed-off shotgun at the cider mill Thursday morning when she showed up for work. He chased her into the barn and shot her in the head “at near point-blank range.” Langford, 43, died from her injuries.
Carolyn Lattin, 77, was in the barn at the time and tried to stop Franco from shooting Langford by grabbing at Franco’s arm and clothing. Franco shook her off and threw her to the ground. Two others in the barn area also witnessed the homicide, court papers state.
Lattin said she and the rest of the employees of the cider mill are doing their best to prepare for the apple festival. The cider mill was closed Friday, she said.
Lattin said the best way people can help during this difficult time is to show up at the festival this morning to lend a hand.
On Friday, the Thurston County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged Franco, 54, with first-degree murder while armed with a deadly weapon and first-degree assault for pointing his gun at the woman who dropped Langford off for work Thursday morning.
After Langford’s shooting, Franco walked back to near where he parked his car and shot himself in the face with his shotgun.
Franco was in critical condition Friday in the intensive care unit at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, a hospital spokeswoman said. Thurston County Sheriff’s Sgt. Cheryl Stines said it appears he will survive.
According to court papers, a couple who are friends of Franco’s told a sheriff’s detective that they were with him the night before the shooting, and he told them “that he wanted to rekindle the relationship with Ms. Langford and that he knew she has a new boyfriend.” They said Franco gave them a note with several phone numbers written on it, court papers state.
“The defendant indicated to these witnesses that if anything quote ‘bad’ should happen, to call the numbers,” court papers state.
Jeremy Pawloski: 360-754-5465
jpawloski@theolympian.com
