The Rhinelander Daily News - Online news and information for the Rhinelander, Wisconsin region

Melissa Theisen - Editor

After eight months of fundraising, planning and tears, the house where the tragic Oct. 7, 2007 shootings took placewas demolished early Saturday morning.

It was inside the house that off-duty police officer Tyler Peterson shot and killed Jordanne Murray, 18, Aaron “Chunk” Smith, 20, Bradley Schultz, 20, LiAnna Thomas, 18, Katrina McCorkle, 18 and Lindsey Stahl, 14.

As the sunlight began to shine in the eastern sky, a crowd of family and friends gathered at the site to watch the structure finally come down. The house, which was located kitty-corner from the Crandon Post Office, was a building “you can’t help but look at.”

“To be able to come to the Post Office and not see that (the house), that’s big for me,” said Pastor Bill Farr of Praise Chapel in Crandon and spokesperson for the Fountain of Youth Memorial Fund. “When I drive by it, I don’t see the house. I see the kids. This house is that symbol of tragedy. ... It is a great relief to know this is done. At first it was emotional, but as the house began to be demolished, there was this feeling of release. I already feel relief and comfort in having the house gone.”

While many, like Farr, did feel that they could begin to find closure now that the house was no longer a constant reminder of the horrors that occurred eight months ago, others weren’t sure yet how they felt.

“I’m happy and still sad,” said Lee Smith, Aaron “Chunk” Smith’s mother. Chunk, a hunting and off-road racing enthusiast, would have been 21 next Saturday.

Farr said that many of the families felt some apprehension in the tearing down of the house as it had become a symbol for their kids.

“We all want our kids to be remembered,” said Bradley Schultz’s mother, Dianne.

However, it is the hope that in tearing down the structure and building a memorial, likely a six-sided gazebo with benches and flowers, the entire community can replace their thoughts of horror with the happy memories of Crandon’s angels. A memorial is hoped to be in place by the one year anniversary of the shootings.

“To dwell on this loss would be a dishonor to their memory,” said Farr at a prayer vigil held the night before the demolition.

The prayer vigil featured members of the clergy, tribal drummers and singers from both the Forest County Potawatomi and Sokaogon Chippewa and hundreds of community members, who came to show their support in spite of rain and lightning.

At the vigil, many of the families and community members spoke openly to media, some for the first time, about the shooting and how they felt about the demolition of the house.

“It (the house) brings back memories that I don’t want,” said Smith to a crowd of reporters. “We’re always going to remember what happened here but hopefully once the house is gone, we can start to move on.”

Farr attributed the open dialogue to a step forward in the healing process.

“We want to now begin to focus on the memorial. We have ideas and things we’d like to see, but now that the house is down we can give it our full attention. It is something to look forward to.”

When asked about a recent letter received by the families which criticized them for filing lawsuits against local law enforcement and the publicity still being given to the shooting and fundraising efforts, Farr said, “We knew that there was a little disagreement about things. I’m not mad or upset about the comments. ...We did what we did for the families and the majority of the community.”

He went on to say that the fundraising efforts were going to continue, in order to raise enough money to build a memorial to honor the memories of the lives taken at the site, although he is not sure how much the memorial will cost. Aside from monetary donations, which fundraisers are still in need of, Farr said that the assistance from people with landscape design and monument engraving abilities as well as supplies would be most appreciated. And they are still asking for ideas from the public.

Monetary donations can be sent to: Fountain of Youth Memorial Fund; 302 S. Lake Ave.; Crandon, WI 54520. To present ideas or to volunteer services, call (715) 478-2322.

The remains of the house were transported to an undisclosed landfill in Michigan. Volunteers and members of the Schultz family assisted with the demolition of the structure.

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