SURPRISE, AZ – A former Mason City woman was found dead in a burned-up pickup truck earlier this month in Arizona.
Police in Surprise, Arizona said that on Monday, June 9th at about 2:45 PM, Surprise police responded to the area of 219th Avenue and Sun Valley Parkway after fire department personnel discovered what appeared to be three bodies within a burned out vehicle. Fire personnel had been alerted to a possible fire in the area. Upon arrival, fire personnel located a vehicle burning. After extinguishing the flames, fire personnel located what appeared to be three burned bodies within the vehicle.
On June 25th, Surprise Police disclosed that they have learned the identities of the three victims whose bodies were discovered in the burning vehicle. Police have been actively working with Maricopa County’s Office of the Medical Examiner to determine who the victims are and how they died since responding to the vehicle fire.
After receiving the results of the examination and subsequent investigation by police, the deaths of all three victims have been classified as homicide. The autopsy revealed that each of the victims had been shot before being burned.
The victims were identified as Garth Tuggle, age 25 of Phoenix, Arizona, William Kling, age 41 of Wittmann, Arizona, and Lisa Baker, age 57 of Wittmann, Arizona. Lisa Baker graduated from Mason City High School in 1975 and attended Iowa State University before later relocating to Wittman, Arizona.
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Wow. Tragic. First thought is that it sounds drug related.
Drugs you say? Illegal ones? No way, I thought everyone involved with drugs was nice? No?
I don’t condone drug use by anyone, but I have differing opinions on how to approach the issue. Prohibition leads to underground market which leads to murders such as these. The best approach is full legalization and education by the masses. When the black market has been eliminated the focus can turn to rehabilitation, counseling and therapy as opposed to prisons, jails, police, gangs, violence. I believe the people can best curb and control use through social morays.
The substance and the use of that substance shouldn’t be what is considered “illegal.” What’s illegal should be based on the behavior exhibited subsequent to use. For those who aren’t violent, don’t steal, don’t operate motor vehicles or show up to work under the influence , why should the government tell them they cannot responsibly enjoy or benefit from cocaine, or marijuana? Just as people think it inconceivable to give up their glass of wine at dinner, because alcoholics can’t…
…handle their booze, so too marijuana and cocaine users think it preposterous they give up their substances because of the actions and IDEATION of a few. Let people’s actions speak for themselves. If they aren’t otherwise criminal or obnoxious, let them use their substances as they see fit, free from prosecution, in peace.