Tulsa World: Mourners host vigil for murder victim

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Mourners host vigil for murder victim

Webster High School graduate Dawn Weygandt embraces a friend during a candlelight vigil for Lori and John Kastner. Lori Kastner was fatally shot Wednesday morning and her husband John Kastner, who is a teacher at Webster, was shot in the hand. james gibbard / tulsa world

By MATT BARNARD, World Staff Writer
Published: 6/25/2008 9:23 PM
Last Modified: 6/25/2008 9:50 PM

Hundreds of mourners gathered Wednesday night at a candlelight vigil for a Tulsa murder victim and her husband at the Webster High School practice football field.

On Wednesday morning, John Kastner told authorities he woke up to see a man inside his house, police said. After a struggle, the robber fatally shot Lori Kastner in the head and also shot John Kastner in the hand with the couple's own gun, he told police.

John Kastner is an English teacher and a former athletic director and coach at Webster High School.

Students and other supporters circled the field with flickering candles as they prayed and shared thoughts of the family.

Recent Webster graduates Kara Thomas and Justin Chuculate spearheaded the gathering.

Chuculate, a multisport athlete in high school, said Lori Kastner was supportive of Webster’s athletes and was very family oriented.

“It’s really heart-breaking, and there’s nothing you can do about it,” he said of her death.

Thomas said Lori Kastner “was just real soft spoken and nice to everybody. If anybody needed anything, she was the mom to get it.” By MATT BARNARD, World Staff Writer

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	Report Comment Gail, (6/25/2008 9:55:50 PM) Roxie, Channel 6 News indicated the police are investigating the husband. They also reported that the family had taken in a teenager that was not at home that morning and the intruder(s) asked for that teenager. When they told them she whas not there, the intruder(s) shot the woman in the head. Then they fought with the husband and shot him in the hand. They also reported the family was leaving for Israel today and their passports were found in the street in front of the residence. Something is really wrong here. Did the teen they had in their home help stage a buglary or something else going on? I hope and pray the husband is cleared.
	Report Comment jim1934, catoosa (6/25/2008 11:13:34 PM) Sounds like a murder mystery. I hope the police do their home work. How could the children sleep through the shooting and the fight.
	Report Comment j70, (6/29/2008 2:16:40 AM) Love for my West side kiddos. Westsiders pull together immediately in crisis. There's something to be said for small schools and small communities.
	Report Comment Steve Howard, (12/3/2008 10:46:13 PM) Goodbye my friend and classmate. Valedictorian, were you not? I remember you well from our days in National Honor Society. I remember you were always brilliant, talented, and beautiful. We will pray for your children. I cannot imagine the burden they are now carrying. May God now grant you peace. Goodbye my friend and classmate.

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