Texas couple both dead after argument over $500 lottery ticket win

Apr 1, 2015, 7:22 am (40 comments)

Texas Lottery

A winning scratch-off lottery ticket worth $500 prompted an argument between a couple in their Fort Worth, Texas, home that ended with both dying of gunshot wounds, officials said on Tuesday.

Fort Worth police said Terry Martin shot his long-time girlfriend, Laurice Hampton, and then shot himself early on Saturday morning in the master bedroom of the house they had shared for several years.

The Tarrant County Medical Examiner's office ruled on Tuesday that Martin had committed suicide and that Hampton's death was a homicide.

Martin, 46, was found dead when officers arrived at the home about 6:30 a.m. on Saturday. Hampton, 48, was critically injured with multiple gunshots but was able to call 911 for help, police said.

Hampton was taken to a local hospital, where she died, police said.

"They were having an argument over a scratch-off lottery ticket winnings," said sergeant Joe Loughman. "We have been told they had a very volatile relationship."

Hampton told officers before she died that Martin had shot her and then shot himself.

Martin died of a gunshot wound to the head, according to the medical examiner.

Thanks to hearsetrax for the tip.

Reuters

Comments

Jani Norman's avatarJani Norman

So very, very sad......No Nod

mjwinsmith's avatarmjwinsmith

OMG -- What a waste of life over so little.

jarasan's avatarjarasan

The US economy 2015,  90+ million Americans that could be working but aren't  being counted in the unemployment numbers,  I bet you they weren't working regular jobs.  We are seeing more of this type of violence  that I can remember,  and I believe it is a reflection of the dire & desperate straits people are living in today's America.

Sad Wavey

MsNumberDreamer's avatarMsNumberDreamer

This is so sad. Over 500 dollars???  How broke do you have to be to kill over 500 dollars? That is greed because that could have been split evenly or whoever bought the ticket keep the winnings. So sad!

CTNY's avatarCTNY

That ticket was just the straw that broke the camels back. 

Probably been had a ton of relationship issues. 

Raven62's avatarRaven62

Ain't Love Grand?

dallascowboyfan's avatardallascowboyfan

WOW!!!!! We are living in sad times.

rcbbuckeye's avatarrcbbuckeye

Quote: Originally posted by CTNY on Apr 1, 2015

That ticket was just the straw that broke the camels back. 

Probably been had a ton of relationship issues. 

They had a volatile relationship. Probably being broke, that $500 was like a million.

OldSchoolPa's avatarOldSchoolPa

Quote: Originally posted by jarasan on Apr 1, 2015

The US economy 2015,  90+ million Americans that could be working but aren't  being counted in the unemployment numbers,  I bet you they weren't working regular jobs.  We are seeing more of this type of violence  that I can remember,  and I believe it is a reflection of the dire & desperate straits people are living in today's America.

Sad Wavey

Yet a certain president continually quotes misleading unemployment numbers of less than 6 percent, stock market more than doubled, and housing crisis averted when he puffs out and beats his chest. What he seems to ignore is that those 90+ million are out there scrapping to get by. If only he and his wife could sacrifice and forego the expensive, upscale vacations and setup a entrepreneur fund with the savings. That is how you leave a legacy. Who cares about an Obama library?!

Lynn-Lynn's avatarLynn-Lynn

So sad,over  five hundred dollars for .

user71926's avataruser71926

Must be one of those happy April Fool anniversary for these Idiots!  Too bad $500 is not enough to bury one of them.  Thank goodness they did not have kids.

CTNY's avatarCTNY

Quote: Originally posted by rcbbuckeye on Apr 1, 2015

They had a volatile relationship. Probably being broke, that $500 was like a million.

Yup. 

Murgatroyd

Quote: Originally posted by jarasan on Apr 1, 2015

The US economy 2015,  90+ million Americans that could be working but aren't  being counted in the unemployment numbers,  I bet you they weren't working regular jobs.  We are seeing more of this type of violence  that I can remember,  and I believe it is a reflection of the dire & desperate straits people are living in today's America.

Sad Wavey

Note that the "90+ million" figure includes everyone under 65 who retired early, and all the high school and college students who haven't yet started looking for work. The number who want jobs is quite a bit lower.

ThatScaryChick's avatarThatScaryChick

So horrible and so pointless that these two lost their lives over 500 dollars. No Nod

goherd14

Amazing how no one knows these people but poverty and blaming the president is the first thing that pops in peoples minds after this sad story.  Indeed what a world we live in!

cbr$'s avatarcbr$

Sorry, to hear something so senseless, two people loss their life for a $500. scratch off winning ticket. This is way to much drama over a lottery ticket. God , bless their families.

noise-gate

This is insanity. From other news reports, these two knew each other from Childhood, but it would seem their love or friendship was worth less than $500.00

** There is a scene in the movie " The Equalizer" where Denzel politely asks the Russian Mobster on the East Coast to "Take" Nine Grand in exchange to release a girl from prostitution.This Big Nose refuses and he ends up dying with the rest of his henchmen in a room. Denzel's last words to this guy as he lay there in a pool of B..were " You should have taken the Money!"

Money and Stupidity can go hand in hand-at times. Sorry for their Parents & Siblings Loss.

sully16's avatarsully16

Very sad.

Drenick1's avatarDrenick1

It's horrible what people will do to each other these days. It could have been $50 and the same result would have occurred.

Get paid's avatarGet paid

A physical abusive relationship,the $500.00 was the trigger.So Sad.

maringoman's avatarmaringoman

I bet some people will play 500 as their pick 3 combo tonight.

mamamary517's avatarmamamary517

Quote: Originally posted by Raven62 on Apr 1, 2015

Ain't Love Grand?

No, it's half a grand. lol

noise-gate

Quote: Originally posted by mamamary517 on Apr 1, 2015

No, it's half a grand. lol

Impressive response. Smile

paradisenow's avatarparadisenow

This is sad but  I know people who kill each other over a fish. So true...

Raven62's avatarRaven62

Quote: Originally posted by mamamary517 on Apr 1, 2015

No, it's half a grand. lol

I Agree! Inflation!

Stack47

Quote: Originally posted by goherd14 on Apr 1, 2015

Amazing how no one knows these people but poverty and blaming the president is the first thing that pops in peoples minds after this sad story.  Indeed what a world we live in!

Everything is open for discussion here because they were specifically arguing over lottery winnings so it's not really that far off topic to pretend it's the same as poor people arguing about food stamps, an unemployment check, or something else.

emilyg's avataremilyg

Quote: Originally posted by on Mar 28, 2024

I have criticized every President since JFK.  Get over yourself - it's not hatred to express an opinion.

rcbbuckeye's avatarrcbbuckeye

Quote: Originally posted by emilyg on Apr 1, 2015

I have criticized every President since JFK.  Get over yourself - it's not hatred to express an opinion.

I Agree!    Amen emily.

Stack47

Quote: Originally posted by on Mar 28, 2024

"I do not dispute that 90 million Americans age 16 or over are neither working nor actively looking for work."

There are 43 million Americans over the age of 64, 74.2 million under the age of 18, and as of 2014 the U.S. population was 318.9 million.

temptustoo's avatartemptustoo

APRIL       F O O L S

CDanaT's avatarCDanaT

While the situation of discharging a firearm at another person is tragic issue, over 25 $20 dollar bills, what the story does not reveal is the actual intellect level, chemical levels or medical condition of the parties involved. We can only assume and discuss things that the "genius " who wrote the story, with limited facts, leads you to believe.

rcbbuckeye's avatarrcbbuckeye

Quote: Originally posted by CDanaT on Apr 2, 2015

While the situation of discharging a firearm at another person is tragic issue, over 25 $20 dollar bills, what the story does not reveal is the actual intellect level, chemical levels or medical condition of the parties involved. We can only assume and discuss things that the "genius " who wrote the story, with limited facts, leads you to believe.

Yeah, I too was wondering what kind of drugs they were strung out on. You know they weren't too smart.

hearsetrax's avatarhearsetrax

Quote: Originally posted by on Mar 28, 2024

" fool me once shame on you

  fool me twice shame on me

  fool me a 3rd time and lord have mercy on us all"

goherd14

Quote: Originally posted by emilyg on Apr 1, 2015

I have criticized every President since JFK.  Get over yourself - it's not hatred to express an opinion.

Well criticize them for things they deserve.  Not because some idiot killed himself and his girlfriend over $500!  Get over that! LOL!

goherd14

Quote: Originally posted by Stack47 on Apr 1, 2015

Everything is open for discussion here because they were specifically arguing over lottery winnings so it's not really that far off topic to pretend it's the same as poor people arguing about food stamps, an unemployment check, or something else.

Not sure how the two are related but I agree everyone is free to express their opinion just like me.  Funny thing is if you actually go out to the story the house is not too bad and there are 2 nice vehicles in the driveway.  One of them a Lexus.  This couple probably argues over who used all of the ketchup.  Being poor has nothing to do with it.  Rich people kill over less than $500.  Ask Mr. Durst.

Goteki54's avatarGoteki54

Fools and their money are soon departed. This defies logic on how absolutely senseless this was.Disapprove

Raven62's avatarRaven62

Quote: Originally posted by Goteki54 on Apr 2, 2015

Fools and their money are soon departed. This defies logic on how absolutely senseless this was.Disapprove

I Agree! ln an argument each person wants to be right: In this case both parties are right: Dead Right!

Stack47

Quote: Originally posted by goherd14 on Apr 2, 2015

Not sure how the two are related but I agree everyone is free to express their opinion just like me.  Funny thing is if you actually go out to the story the house is not too bad and there are 2 nice vehicles in the driveway.  One of them a Lexus.  This couple probably argues over who used all of the ketchup.  Being poor has nothing to do with it.  Rich people kill over less than $500.  Ask Mr. Durst.

And this isn't an election year.

casino crawler's avatarcasino crawler

So tragic.  I think this had less to do about the $500 but an already volatile relationship.  I see why this is lottery news technically, but it is more about domestic violence and the need to get out of a bad situation.

Stack47

Quote: Originally posted by CDanaT on Apr 2, 2015

While the situation of discharging a firearm at another person is tragic issue, over 25 $20 dollar bills, what the story does not reveal is the actual intellect level, chemical levels or medical condition of the parties involved. We can only assume and discuss things that the "genius " who wrote the story, with limited facts, leads you to believe.

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