Canon City Daily Record.
Members of the community gathered Monday at St. John Lutheran Church for a service honoring Stan and Marsha Watson, who were killed last week.
Pastor Dan Kletke prayed during the service.
"Gracious Lord, we give You thanks for the days of earthly life You granted to Stan and Marsha, for the grace bestowed on them in Christ Jesus, for their adoption and rebirth in Holy Baptism, and for all the good they were permitted to give and to receive," he said. "We entrust them to Your mercy and pray for the sustaining comfort of Your Holy Spirit; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the same Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever."
Also at the service, hymns were sung and verses were read.
"It's not really a memorial or a funeral," Kletke said before the service. "It's a service to help those who are disturbed by the events that happened. Certainly to remember Stan and Marsha, just to work through the tragedy that happened. ... We're a community that's hurting."
He said he knew the couple for about two years.
"Stan and Marsha were members of our congregation and were beloved members of our congregation," Kletke said. "Marsha played the organ for us frequently. She played organ on Easter morning for both of our services. Stan would often be there right by her side, singing along. They loved their Lord, they loved their church and we loved and appreciated them very much. We are very, very sad and shocked that they are gone."
According to a statement provided by the pastor, Stan was born in Birmingham, Ala., and Marsha was born in Baton Rouge, La.
"The two were married May 21, 1998, in Baton Rouge and after retiring, they sold what they had to travel the United States in their RV. In 2013, they stopped in Cañon City and loved the area so much they decided to stay," the statement said.
Stan is suspected of killing his wife April 14.
Marsha was found dead directly in front of her vehicle in the Cañon City RV Campground at about 11 p.m. April 14, the Cañon City Police Department said. Her dog was found next to her body, according to a CCPD press release. The dog also was reportedly shot, but it was alive.
Stan reportedly was barricaded inside his motor home for four hours. When he exited, he allegedly used two .45 caliber handguns simultaneously early Wednesday morning to shoot at law enforcement, according to officials. He was then killed by police.
"One round hit the front of our police car," CCPD Chief Paul Schultz said. "Five to seven rounds hit the (Florence Police Department) MRAP vehicle. Approximately four rounds hit the window of the MRAP."
An unnamed Fremont County Sheriff's Office deputy was in the bullet-resistant MRAP, Schultz said.
"The bullets hit the glass right alongside his head," he said. "...Our tactical commander who was there has made the comment that he is absolutely convinced that it saved lives and it saved the life of the deputy sheriff who was inside."
At about 2:45 a.m. Wednesday, the Fremont County SWAT team decided to use OC gas after four hours of failed negotiations to force him out of his motor home, he said.
"As soon as the projectile hit the window, instantaneously the door to the motor home swung open and he was standing in the doorway," Schultz said.
That's when he began shooting, the police chief said.
"The officers on scene were forced to return fire in self-defense," Schultz said. "The suspect was shot and killed and fell inside the motor home. Several officers returned fire. We don't know how many officers."
He said the Colorado Bureau of Investigation is investigating how many officers were involved.
He said they arrived at the home 48 seconds after receiving a call from the suspect, who allegedly said he was suicidal and going to shoot his wife and dog.
"He made several comments to friends and family through text messages and telephone calls that he was going to end it all ... there was some health issues he was suffering from," Schultz said.