Tulsa World: Homicide probe 'intensive'

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Homicide probe 'intensive'
Police serve multiple search warrants, including one to fingerprint the victim's husband.

SLAIN

Lori Kastner: The former Oklahoma Supreme Court attorney was shot to death at her home early Wednesday.

By DAVID SCHULTE World Staff Writer
Published: 6/27/2008 2:08 AM
Last Modified: 6/27/2008 2:35 AM

Police serve multiple search warrants, including one to fingerprint the victim's husband.

Police received a search warrant Thursday to fingerprint a Tulsa teacher whose wife was fatally shot at their home early Wednesday, but they would not comment about any possible suspects.

Sgt. Mike Huff said detectives are continuing their investigation of the shooting death of Lori Kastner, a former attorney for the Oklahoma Supreme Court who was killed at her home in the 3800 block of South Union Avenue.

Her husband, John Kastner, an English teacher at Webster High School, 1919 W. 40th St., told police Wednesday that an intruder had shot his wife with a gun that belonged to the couple.

Lori Kastner was shot several times in the head, and John Kastner sustained a wound to his hand during a struggle with the intruder, he told police.

He was treated for his wound at a hospital and released, police said.

Huff described the city's 19th homicide investigation of the year as "intensive."

"We're serving multiple search warrants, but we are not releasing any information at this time or names of suspects," he said.

One of those warrants was to obtain the fingerprints of Kastner, who was accompanied to the police station on Thursday by attorney Larry Edwards.

Huff said obtaining "fingerprints and DNA is part of any homicide investigation," and Officer Leland Ashley said gathering fingerprints is sometimes done to eliminate possible suspects.

Edward

said his services "have not been retained by Kastner," and he added that the teacher is not considered a suspect in his wife's killing.

The Kastner family's passports were found outside their home Wednesday, and Huff said Thursday that "we are investigating how and why they were there."

Police said they had no new information regarding the reported intruder.

John Kastner told police Wednesday that the intruder apparently was looking for an acquaintance of his 19-year-old daughter, who was not home at the time.

Two children, ages 9 and 15, were in the home when the shootings occurred but were not injured.

Kastner told police that the intruder was a dark-complexioned white or American Indian man in his late teens or early 20s and about 6 feet tall.

A man who identified himself as Lori Kastner's brother said Thursday that the family would not comment.

Lori Kastner began working at the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals in November 1995 and moved to the Oklahoma Supreme Court in 2005. She left her job as a judicial assistant to Justice Tom Colbert in May.

John Kastner has worked for Tulsa Public Schools since 1990.

In addition to teaching English at Webster, he coached cross-country and baseball and was a volunteer assistant football coach, said Jim Harper, head football coach at the school.

Kastner recently voluntarily resigned as the school's co-athletic director, a district spokeswoman said Wednesday, but other coaches would not comment about why he resigned.

"That's a personnel decision, and I cannot comment," Harper said Thursday.

Harper, who has known Kastner for nearly 10 years, said he couldn't believe what had happened.

"It's terrible, and I hope justice is served," he said.

Other members of the school's athletic department also were stunned about the fatal shooting.

"I send my prayers out to him and his family," said Wan U, the head boys' basketball coach. "It was devastating hearing the news. He and his family didn't deserve this. No family deserves something like this."

Anyone with information about the homicide is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 596-COPS. The Crime Commission offers rewards for information that leads to an arrest, and callers can remain anonymous.

David Schulte 581-8367
david.schulte@tulsaworld.com By DAVID SCHULTE World Staff Writer

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	Report Comment Tony G, (6/27/2008 5:50:56 AM) It seems this case will get special attention, might even get solved. My problem is, why doesn't every murder victim get as much police involvement?
	Report Comment Kevin, (6/27/2008 6:17:17 AM) No kidding
	Report Comment samloveall, (6/27/2008 7:16:40 AM) They pretty much do. What other murders don't always get is the MEDIA involvement reporting as much detail as they can. Talk to your local newspaper editor about why that might be.
	Report Comment pgcfriend, (6/27/2008 8:00:39 AM) We may be wrong or maybe we have watched too many crime programs on TV. However my Mom and I have a gentleman's bet that the husband will be arrested on a complaint of first degree murder. Mom so far as lost as she thought they would have a report of his arrest. I said probably today. We'll see. I agree about the reporting. The media decides which murders and missing persons they want to report. It is a rare day that you see missing blacks reported on TV. We in Tulsa have dozens of murders every year. Very few get this much press. This one was reported probably because of her former position as a lawyer. Think about the surgeon that had his name plastered everywhere when he damaged the car of teens that harassed him. You would not have heard anything about that if he was not a surgeon and the potential of further reporting because of lawsuits. I'm convinced of that.
	Report Comment KH, (6/27/2008 8:28:58 AM) I really hope that he had nothing to do with the killing of his wife and his kids momma, but kinda fishy when you get a warrant for fingerprints. This man is looked up to by the Webster High School kids, if he did do this who can these kids look up to and come to at school if you can't trust a teacher. I am sorry this happend to this lady and I feel for her children.
	Report Comment Marti, (6/27/2008 9:16:52 AM) Mr. Kastner was an English teacher and one of the best my daughter ever had at Webster. He also coached. I hope they find who did this to his wife. I send out my sympathy to him and his kids. (maybe look at the daughter's "friend" as she was adopted at 15 years old) Could be a shady deal there.
	Report Comment CSI1, (6/27/2008 12:15:33 PM) He Killed her what a fool.
	Report Comment emotional_sting, (6/27/2008 1:36:37 PM) well... passports.... were we planning to travel?
	Report Comment Devon Landman, (6/27/2008 2:13:22 PM) Happens everywhere folks, just not on the northside! Thats why guns need to be takin off the streets! They are ending up in the hands of the wrong people, and people are getting shot to death daily! Do you think that these guns aren't ending up in the public housing or in the hands or felons who aren't supposed to have them anyway, and then just get a slap on the hand for having them! Having no guns would end alot of sensless crime and sensless killings!
	Report Comment okie rigerunner, chetopa (6/27/2008 2:22:13 PM) We just never really know our family, friends or the people we live around or work with or deal with from day to day. we just think we do. but we never know what is in the back of there minds that may come forward at any time. all of us have had things on our mind some time in our life we would not tell or talk about. may not have been bad like this. but it just goes to show what can happen from any one around you. we all need to be more careful and pat more attention to every thing and every one.
	Report Comment okie rigerunner, chetopa (6/27/2008 2:26:01 PM) We all need to pray for the children. what happened here is a very said thing. even the well eduacated can become very sick in the mind. this proves it.
	Report Comment Guywire, Claremore (6/27/2008 6:06:21 PM) That detective prooved "Murder will out"! I not only am saddened for the children of the home, but for the family's on both sides of this union. Something of this magnitude causes tidal waves,not ripples, far and wide.
	Report Comment teacherteacher, (6/27/2008 10:12:50 PM) She was shot several times in the head and he only had a shot to the hand? Hello? He definitely didn't (if he's guilty) think up a very unique plan. This has been done sooo many times...the wife gets the fatal shots and his are only superficial. HHHmmmmm

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