Inset: Patrick Waite (Gibson County Jail). Background: Home in Haubstadt, Indiana, where Waite allegedly killed his wife, stepson and mother-in-law (WFIE).
Confronted with the fact that he may lose his house of more than 25 years, a 77-year-old man murdered his wife, mother-in-law and stepson, authorities in Indiana say.
The Gibson County Sheriff’s Office said the incident occurred around 8:30 p.m. Thursday at a home in the 12000 block of South Scottsdale Drive in Haubstadt, a small community some 20 miles north of Evansville.
According to a probable cause arrest affidavit obtained by Law&Crime, Patrick Waite called 911 to say he shot four people in the home. Cops quickly arrived on scene and detained Waite, who told them where he left the gun used in the slayings. Officers rushed inside and found the first victim, Waite’s 61-year-old wife Alma Waite, dead in the kitchen.
They moved to the den where the located the three other victims: Alma Waite’s two sons and her 81-year-old mother Gloria Garcia Tapia, who was shot to death in a medical bed. One of the sons, 44, survived gunshot wounds to the neck and chest while the other, 39-year-old Fernando Tapia Ramirez Sr., died, according to cops.
A child witnessed the shooting before fleeing to safety in an upstairs bathroom with two adults. Cops located spent shell casings throughout the den and kitchen and the gun, a .45 Smith and Wesson, atop a lawn mower in the garage.
After receiving his Miranda rights, Patrick Waite allegedly explained he had been married to his wife for about two years and had been talking about separating, though he did not want a divorce. He said he shot a water snake on the back of the property and came back inside with the gun in his back pocket, according to the affidavit. He stated his wife was mad at him because he left the home to go to Bible study instead of staying home with Garcia Tapia, who was in need of a caregiver. Alma Waite also was not happy he still had the gun, her husband told cops.
The suspect then questioned his wife about the paperwork she was holding, per the affidavit. According to Patrick Waite, his wife told him she filed a quitclaim deed that put the home in her daughter’s name. He allegedly told her he wasn’t going to move from the home in which he lived for 27 years.
She turned toward him and he shot her, the affidavit said. He then heard her sons in the den and allegedly shot them, too. It’s unclear if he meant to shoot Garcia Tapia but she was shot while lying in her medical bed in the den.
Patrick Waite told the detectives he didn’t deserve to live after what he did.
“I shot them all,” he allegedly said. “I’m certainly not proud of that fact at all.”
Per the affidavit, he also stated to detectives: “I’m as guilty as guilty can be.”
He is facing three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. He’s at the Gibson County Jail without bond.
