Police in Suffolk County, New York, scanned dozens of tips to find the gunman. They also looked through the files of a special prosecutor for narcotics looking for anyone who had bought painkillers in the region. Peter Spano, a neighbor, saw a thin man looking similar to the suspect in surveillance photographs. They have been neighbors since childhood, and are always on the lookout to spot signs of trouble.
David Laffer pleaded guilty in June to the murder of four people at a pharmacy. During the trial, he confessed to killing two pharmacy employees and two customers and taking thousands of painkillers. His wife was waiting outside the shop as his getaway driver. David Laffer was sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Police claim that Laffer entered a Medford, New Jersey drugstore on June 19, and opened fire, without warning. The robber killed Taccetta and Sheffield, and fled with thousands of pills. Laffer told authorities in a jailhouse interview that the first shot he fired was an accident and he realized it after he shot the other victims. Police found pieces of the weapon used in the robbery, as well as 2,000 hydrocodone-type pills near the store.
The judge, James C. Hudson, said he was at a loss to understand Laffer’s actions. Laffer did not have any criminal records or a history of violence, despite the robbery. A police officer said Brady was cooperating with police, and that the defendant was wearing an over-sized yellow T-shirt and black shorts.
One of the most horrendous crimes in Suffolk County is the murder of victims. According to the Suffolk County District Attorney, the murders were among the most horrific in Suffolk County’s history. The victims were repeatedly shot at close range. The suspect, Chuck Laffer, also had a knapsack full of the painkiller hydrocodone, the main ingredient in Vicodin.
Haven Drugs’ crime was a sad example of a national epidemic. Many drugstore robbers are prescription drug addicts. During the court testimony, the victims’ families were overcome with emotion. Laffer’s lawyer, Eric Naiburg, testified that his client had received no assurances of leniency or other favorable treatment. He also stated that Laffer wanted to bring closure to the victims’ families.
Brady, meanwhile, had undergone several surgeries before her wedding. She admitted to being in severe pain and taking different kinds of painkillers. Her husband, Laffer, was extremely supportive. Oct. 17 will see both defendants sentenced. Their attorneys will try to elicit a sentence that will fit both defendants’ crimes.