Thank you

Dear Editor:

August 12 of this year marks the 11th anniversary of a very sad day for me and my family because of a tragic crime that took place that August night in Bigfork. We were notified by Lake County Sheriff Joe Geldrich that my son John and his wife Nancy had been murdered in the home they had newly purchased in Bigfork. The killings had taken place at 2 in the morning, both of them mercilessly shot as they slept in their bed. It was four months before the investigators found the murderer. The killer turned out to be Joseph Shadow Clark, the 18-year old son of a local family. He took a plea bargain, and was sentenced to life imprisonment, eligible for parole when he is 60. Since my other five children and I were opposed to the death penalty, we were relieved that an 18-year old would not be sentenced to death. However, we do believe in punishment and still are hopeful the Shadow Clark will never be released from the Montana prison. Society has a right to be protected from murderers.

Because of the professional and careful coverage of this whole event in your paper, with the reporting done by William Simonsen, my family and I were able to keep up with the events from the discovery of their bodies to Shadow Clark's removal to the Montana State Prison. We are ever grateful to the Bigfork Eagle for this.

My son was a furniture maker, who would take a piece of wood and reverently show me its beauty, remaking at the variety and uniqueness of the Creator's work. My daughter-in-law, who collected and wrote poetry, spent the week before she was killed making raspberry jam to give us for presents when Christmas '93 arrived. I ask the people of Bigfork to offer a prayer for them this month.

Many thanks,

Antoinette Bosco