(From the Monday, Dec. 28, issue of The Macomb Daily Journal)
A young woman is dead, a young man is in McDonough District Hospital with a gunshot wound in the head and six persons are being held in the McDonough County jail for investigation following a shooting incident three miles east of Adair early this morning.
Tina Fawcett, 18, of Ipava, was dead on arrival at the hospital after being shot through the head. Terry Wrestler, 20, also of Ipava is undergoing surgery today for the removal of a bullet that entered his head through his jaw.
Identity of the persons being held has not been released, pending further investigation of the incident.
McDonough County Sheriff John Bliven gave an account of the shooting this morning. He said his department first received a call at midnight from the residence of James VanDiver. The caller stated that the house was being shot at by someone in a passing auto. The house is located just west of the McDonough-Fulton County line on a county road east of Adair.
The sheriff’s night patrol went to the scene and questioned occupants of the house.
Another call was received some time later by the sheriff’s office and one by the state police. The caller said someone was shooting at a car from a house at the same location.
A short time later, McDonough District Hospital officials notified the sheriff that a girl had arrived at the hospital dead from a gunshot wound and a man had been brought to the hospital with a gunshot wound.
Bliven said his department had been unable to question Wrestler due to the seriousness of his injury. He said that apparently both victims had been shot while in a car just west of the VanDiver house. From appearances the same bullet went through Miss Fawcett’s head and then struck Wrestler in the jaw, Bliven said.
Three high powered rifles and two shotguns were recovered from the house and another high powered rifle and a .22 caliber rifle were found at the side of the road near the car, the sheriff said. The car had been abandoned near the VanDiver residence.
One of the persons arrested for investigation is from Michigan and the others are local, Bliven said. Tests are being made on the guns and the investigation is being continued, the sheriff said.
Funeral services for Miss Fawcett will be held Wednesday at 2 p.m. in the Ipava Presbyterian Church of which she was a member. The Rev. John Smidt will officiate. Burial will be in Ipava Cemetery. There will be no family visitation. Shawgo Memorial Home of Ipava is in charge of services.
She was born June 27, 1952 at Canton, the daughter of Donald and Louise Cleer Fawcett. She graduated from VIT High School at Table Grove.
Surviving are the father and stepmother of Ipava; two brothers, Gary of Ipava and Mark at home; one sister, Mrs. Rita Hatch of Good Hope; paternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. C. G. Fawcett of Table Grove and maternal great-grandmother, Mrs. Portia Carter of Ipava. The girl’s mother was killed in an auto accident, between Table Grove and Ipava several years ago.
Current Obituaries in the Astoria South Fulton Argus