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.
So very, very sad......
OMG -- What a waste of life over so little.
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.
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!
That ticket was just the straw that broke the camels back.
Probably been had a ton of relationship issues.
Ain't Love Grand?
WOW!!!!! We are living in sad times.
They had a volatile relationship. Probably being broke, that $500 was like a million.
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?!
So sad,over five hundred dollars for .
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.
Yup.
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.
So horrible and so pointless that these two lost their lives over 500 dollars.
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!
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.
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.
Very sad.
It's horrible what people will do to each other these days. It could have been $50 and the same result would have occurred.
A physical abusive relationship,the $500.00 was the trigger.So Sad.
I bet some people will play 500 as their pick 3 combo tonight.
No, it's half a grand. lol
Impressive response.
This is sad but I know people who kill each other over a fish. So true...
Inflation!
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.
I have criticized every President since JFK. Get over yourself - it's not hatred to express an opinion.
Amen emily.
"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.
APRIL F O O L S
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.
" fool me once shame on you
fool me twice shame on me
fool me a 3rd time and lord have mercy on us all"
Well criticize them for things they deserve. Not because some idiot killed himself and his girlfriend over $500! Get over that! LOL!
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.
Fools and their money are soon departed. This defies logic on how absolutely senseless this was.
ln an argument each person wants to be right: In this case both parties are right: Dead Right!
And this isn't an election year.
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.
http://www.wkyt.com/wymt/home/headlines/Perry-County-man-dies-during-fight-with-wife-291413401.html
And this story doesn't even say what they were arguing about.