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Powerball Lottery Winner Found Dead in Her Geodesic Dome
Powerball: Powerball Lottery Winner Found Dead in Her Geodesic Dome
A woman who won a $65.4 million Powerball jackpot with her husband five years ago was found dead at her home overlooking the Ohio River, where she had apparently been for days before anyone found her, police said.
Virginia Metcalf Merida's son discovered her body Wednesday. Police were awaiting autopsy and toxicology results before announcing a cause of death.
When the woman and her husband, Mack Wayne Metcalf, won the jackpot, they told lottery officials they were going their separate ways to fulfill their dreams. Merida planned to quit her job making corrugated boxes and buy a home. Metcalf, a forklift operator, wanted to start fresh in Australia. He never did.
Metcalf died in 2003 at age 45 while living in a replica of George Washington's Mount Vernon estate built in Corbin, Ky. His death followed multiple run-ins with the law, including a child-support dispute from a previous marriage and a drunken driving charge filed before he hit the jackpot.
Neighbors said Merida stayed out of public view until last December, when a body was found in her 5,000-square foot, custom-built geodesic dome house. Campbell County Deputy Coroner Al Garnick confirmed that the man died of a drug overdose. Official records of the case were unavailable because of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
Merida used part of her winnings to buy a second home, but when she tried to evict the resident, the renter sued. A hearing was scheduled for Wednesday.
Carol Terrell Lawson, who is still renting the home, said that she never met Merida in person and only learned of the death after reporters began calling her.
AP
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18 comments. Last comment 4 years ago by .
Memphis,Tennessee United States Member #8005 October 15, 2004 11291 Posts Offline |
| Posted: November 28, 2005, 6:37 am - IP Logged |
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almost makes you think winning the powerball jackpot is a curse....
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new delhi India Member #22479 September 20, 2005 174 Posts Offline |
| Posted: November 28, 2005, 8:11 am - IP Logged |
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yep, seems like it sometimes, but I'll take my chances!
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United States Member #3331 January 7, 2004 147 Posts Offline |
| Posted: November 28, 2005, 9:03 am - IP Logged |
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I'll take my chances too - LOL
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United States
Member #380
June 5, 2002
11297 Posts
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| Posted: November 28, 2005, 9:51 am - IP Logged |
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At least they knew to take lump sum. You don't know what will happen over the next 30 years.
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United States Member #2441 September 28, 2003 143 Posts Offline |
| Posted: November 28, 2005, 10:35 am - IP Logged |
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almost makes you think winning the powerball jackpot is a curse....
Winning the Powerball is not a curse, disrespecting the winnings is a curse. Its what u do with the winnings not the other way around. You have to be in control. People forget about that and end up in trouble.
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United States Member #91 January 19, 2002 6299 Posts Offline |
| Posted: November 28, 2005, 1:45 pm - IP Logged |
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Wonder what they died of? Over indulgence maybe.......
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United States Member #12856 March 18, 2005 2060 Posts Offline |
| Posted: November 28, 2005, 1:47 pm - IP Logged |
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I don't see it as a curse. People die everyday. Everyone who wins the Powerball is going to die one day. It doesn't mean the Powerball is cursed. It means those peoples times were up.  Dance like no one is watching.
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South Fort Myers United States Member #27195 November 23, 2005 441 Posts Offline |
| Posted: November 29, 2005, 7:06 am - IP Logged |
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Working with the TODAY show playing in the background (as always) and I do believe they are talking about this today.
Zoozie 
"Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve"
Napoleon Hill
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Hamilton, OH United States Member #4236 March 27, 2004 169 Posts Offline |
| Posted: November 29, 2005, 6:04 pm - IP Logged |
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Sad but death is a fact of life. They sounded a little flakey, almost like they didn't know what to do after winning. I will have no problem there. Pay off my families' mortages a little good presents at Christmas and open my art school and bookstore.
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United States
Member #380
June 5, 2002
11297 Posts
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| Posted: November 30, 2005, 12:43 pm - IP Logged |
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Sad but death is a fact of life. They sounded a little flakey, almost like they didn't know what to do after winning. I will have no problem there. Pay off my families' mortages a little good presents at Christmas and open my art school and bookstore.
I'm not sure myself what I would do after winning. Let me win first.
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United States Member #12856 March 18, 2005 2060 Posts Offline |
| Posted: November 30, 2005, 1:01 pm - IP Logged |
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I have some ideas about what I would do, but nothing is set in stone for me. I just thought it was a bit odd that they seperated as soon as they won the money. Dance like no one is watching.
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United States
Member #380
June 5, 2002
11297 Posts
Offline
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| Posted: November 30, 2005, 1:12 pm - IP Logged |
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I have some ideas about what I would do, but nothing is set in stone for me. I just thought it was a bit odd that they seperated as soon as they won the money.
I always have trouble with spelling "separated"-is the fourth letter "a" or "e"?
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Bethesda, Maryland United States Member #17193 June 6, 2005 432 Posts Offline |
| Posted: November 30, 2005, 4:50 pm - IP Logged |
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Wonder what they died of? Over indulgence maybe.......
 HAPPY WEDNESDAY......."FJA"
LOLOLOLOLOL..........Maybe, but that would not be my demise........I don't even know what it's like to be "over-indulged"LOLOLOLOLOLOL
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South Carolina United States Member #6 November 4, 2001 6935 Posts Offline |
| Posted: November 30, 2005, 5:39 pm - IP Logged |
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Sad but death is a fact of life. They sounded a little flakey, almost like they didn't know what to do after winning. I will have no problem there. Pay off my families' mortages a little good presents at Christmas and open my art school and bookstore.
I'm not sure myself what I would do after winning. Let me win first.
I know Cash only
First thing___take Cash option. That was easy LOL
Second thing_________????????????????????????
According to the dictionary It is separate
 Freedom
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