FL - Clarence Laster, 48, shot to death, Orange County, March 1988

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http://www.wftv.com/news/20588895/detail.html

Murder Suspect Lashes Out At WFTV Reporter

Posted: 6:19 pm EDT August 27, 2009Updated: 12:23 pm EDT August 28, 2009
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. -- A former teacher accused of killing her husband lashed out at WFTV reporter Kathi Belich in court (watch video | see images) Thursday. Delores Laster is accused of a murder that happened more than 20 years ago and, during that time, she continued working as a teacher in Orange County.

Many aspects of this story concern me...the least of which is Laster lashing out at Belich. But I guess it makes a good headline. Don't get me wrong, I love KB but this woman Laster was a teacher, she is out on no bond, her monitoring fee has been reduced to $20.00 and she is drawing over $3,000.00 a month from her teachers pension. I think those points are the real story here.
 
I agree...I love Kathi!!!

This case is really, really strange...it has some weird twists...

Delores Laster is accused of killing her husband Clarence and having the children, then 6 and 10 move the body to the garage.

Delores still care for a disabled child that is her late husbands. The child's mother is one of Clarence's children from a previous relationship (so said child is the child and grandchild of the deceased). But then the mother of the child, Clarence's daughter, was one of 4 victims of a serial killer in 1987. More here: http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2009-03-19/news/coldcase219_1_laster-detectives-delores/2

Delores adopted the child and continued to care for it.

I was surprised not to find a thread anywhere on this one so I just tacked the info here...strange things happen.
 
Many many stories attached to previous articles about this case. Lots of documents at the below link.

Documents: Kids Say Mom Had Them Move Dad's Body
Posted: 12:06 pm EDT April 24, 2009
Updated: 12:36 pm EDT April 25, 2009
http://www.wftv.com/news/19271704/detail.html
 
I agree...I love Kathi!!!

This case is really, really strange...it has some weird twists...

Delores Laster is accused of killing her husband Clarence and having the children, then 6 and 10 move the body to the garage.

Delores still care for a disabled child that is her late husbands. The child's mother is one of Clarence's children from a previous relationship (so said child is the child and grandchild of the deceased). But then the mother of the child, Clarence's daughter, was one of 4 victims of a serial killer in 1987. More here: http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2009-03-19/news/coldcase219_1_laster-detectives-delores/2

Delores adopted the child and continued to care for it.

I was surprised not to find a thread anywhere on this one so I just tacked the info here...strange things happen.

They's made some changes to the article and parentage of the disabled child isn't as clear. Also they are now saying that the kids ages were a 10 year old boy and a 12 year old girl. They are now adults.

They give the motive as a belief that Laster was leaving Delores. But I have my doubts. If he had a child with one of his daughters, and now has another 12 year old daughter, what are the chances that he was messing with her too?
 
My husband yelled this morning at 5:45, "This woman accused of murder is trying to grab the reporter, she's so mad at her question!" I came running in yelling back "Is it Kathi Belich?" (I was almost sure what channel he had it on for our local news). He said he thought so.

WOOT, WOOT! Go Kathi!
 
Investigators interview with the daughter. They talk to her about the fact that the victim may have been cheating on her mother. They talk about the fact that he has about 30 kids (apparently she wasn't aware of that), at least some he was paying child support for. But they don't mention the parentage of the boy.
http://www.wftv.com/blank/19272894/detail.html
 


The veteran teacher has been arrested before. In 1994 she was caught shoplifting $52 in toys and cosmetics from a Kmart store in Altamonte Springs. She resisted so violently she was charged with strong-arm robbery. She pleaded no contest to attempted robbery and received probation. Adjudication was withheld so she wouldn't have a criminal record.

How very nice that the courts made sure she could steal and then assault someone and walk away without a criminal record.

I am betting these three violent incidents (husband/reporter/shoplifting) are just the tip of the iceberg. She has likely been violent many many times but gets away with it because "she is a nice school teacher lady".
 
http://www.wesh.com/r/29154213/detail.html

Woman Faces Trial In Husband's 1988 Death
Teacher Charged With Murder


POSTED: 6:55 am EDT September 12, 2011
UPDATED: 8:19 am EDT September 12, 2011

*snip*

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Jury selection begins Monday in a murder case more than 20 years old.

Delores Laster faces first-degree murder charges in the death of her husband, Clarence Laster. Investigators believe the former Winter Garden teacher shot her husband in their home while he slept in 1988.

More at link
========================================
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news...-laster-murder-trial-20110912,0,2482363.story

Jury selection under way in Delores Laster murder trial

By Walter Pacheco and Bianca Prieto, Orlando Sentinel

11:10 a.m. EDT, September 12, 2011

*snip*

Jury selection is under way in the first-degree murder trial for former Orange County teacher Delores Laster.

The selection process could take until this afternoon, according to Judge Renee Roche.

More at link
========================================
http://mobile.orlandosentinel.com/p...DL.w=&DL.d=10&DQ=sectionId%3A5640&DPS=0&DPL=3

Jury seated in Delores Laster murder trial

By Bianca Prieto , Orlando Sentinel
Mon Sep 12 2011 11:58 PM

*snip*

Jury selection is complete in the first-degree murder trial of former Orange County teacher Delores Laster.

Twelve people, plus two alternates, were seated after a full day of jury selection Monday. Opening statements will begin this morning.

More at link
=========================================
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news...ster-murder-openings-20110913,0,7037521.story

Delores Laster: Judge postpones murder case; jury dismissed
Judge Renee Roche "regretfully" granted the defense motion to continue the murder trial


By Bianca Prieto, Orlando Sentinel

11:13 a.m. EDT, September 13, 2011

*snip*

A day after a jury was selected for the Delores Laster murder trial, a judge agreed to postpone the case.

Judge Renee Roche "regretfully" granted a defense motion to continue the cold case involving the former Orange County teacher. The jury has been dismissed.

More at link
 
http://www.myfoxorlando.com/dpp/new...eacher-charged-with-killing-husband-testifies

Son of teacher accused of murdering husband testifies

Updated: Wednesday, 14 Sep 2011, 6:20 PM EDT
Published : Wednesday, 14 Sep 2011, 6:15 PM EDT

By Holly Bristow
FOX 35 News

*snip*

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - The son of a teacher accused of murdering her husband back in 1988 testified in court on Wednesday. Delores Laster's son said he didn't even realize his father had been murdered, until a couple years ago.
------
Clyde Laster testified today because he may be deployed with his naval ship when this trial starts in January. The trial was postponed until next year because a key defense witness has fallen ill.
==================

More at link
 
Investigators interview with the daughter. They talk to her about the fact that the victim may have been cheating on her mother. They talk about the fact that he has about 30 kids (apparently she wasn't aware of that), at least some he was paying child support for. But they don't mention the parentage of the boy.
http://www.wftv.com/blank/19272894/detail.html

WOW.

Reading that interview was very enlightening...and a cliffhanger. Did she go back the next day and give the statement after all? I'd love to have been a fly on the wall when she spoke with her mother after that interview.
 
http://www.wftv.com/news/news/testimony-begins-former-teachers-delores-lasters-m/nHYf7/

Testimony begins in former teacher Delores Laster's murder trial

Posted 02/09/12

*Snipped*

ORLANDO, Fla. —
Testimony has started in the trial of a retired Orange County teacher, accused of killing her husband 24 years ago.

Prosecutors say Delores Laster shot and killed her husband in March of 1988, and then made her children help move the body

Thursday morning the defense won an argument that opened the way for it to present its own theory of what happened to murder victim Clarence Laster.

====
http://www.clickorlando.com/news/De...ician-testifies/-/1637132/8626872/-/ns0pjw/-/

Delores Laster trial: Retired crime scene technician testifies
Arthur McGraw says not much blood for gunshot wound


Published On: Feb 10 2012 12:35:02 PM EST
Updated On: Feb 10 2012 01:05:52 PM EST

VIDEO

*Snipped*

ORLANDO, Fla. -
A retired crime scene technician testified Friday morning in the murder trial of former Orange County school teacher Delores Laster, who's accused of killing her husband in 1988.

====
http://www.clickorlando.com/news/De...tion/-/1637132/8626872/-/uduy21z/-/index.html

Delores Laster trial: 'Dr. G' testifies on blood explanation
Ballistics expert testifies on gun, scene evidence


Published On: Feb 10 2012 12:35:02 PM EST
Updated On: Feb 10 2012 08:11:36 PM EST

*Snipped*

ORLANDO, Fla. -
Orange County medical examiner Dr. Jan Garavaglia, "Dr. G" took the stand Friday afternoon in the murder trial of former Orange County school teacher Delores Laster, who's accused of killing her husband in 1988.

====
http://www.clickorlando.com/news/Ju...s-Laster-s-son/-/1637132/8761282/-/2kflb0z/-/

Jury hears 2009 testimony from Delores Laster's son
Trial adjourns for day without son's taped testimony


Published On: Feb 13 2012 12:11:43 PM EST
Updated On: Feb 13 2012 07:13:00 PM EST

*Snipped*

ORLANDO, Fla. -
The murder trial of former Orange County school teacher Delores Laster, who's accused of killing her husband in 1988, has adjourned for the day on Monday without the long-awaited taped testimony from Laster's son.

====
http://www.wdbo.com/news/news/local/delores-laster-acquitted-first-degree-murder/nHdHB/

Delores Laster is acquitted of first-degree murder

Posted 02/15/12

*Snipped*

The former Orange County teacher accused of killing her husband more than 20 years ago was acquitted Wednesday of first-degree murder.

Judge O.H. Eaton has granted a rare defense request for acquittal for Delores Laster.

====
 
http://www.wftv.com/news/news/murder-case-against-delores-laster-thrown-out/nHdHM/

Murder case against Delores Laster thrown out

Posted: 11:16 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012
Updated: 12:07 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012

*Snipped*

ORLANDO, Fla. —
The Delores Laster murder trial is over.

The judge in the trial of the former teacher accused of killing her husband in 1988 and having her children help move the body threw the case out Wednesday morning.

=====
 
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news...trial-wednesday-20120215,0,1041499,full.story

Delores Laster acquitted on charge of first-degree murder
Judge tosses case after defense cites lack of evidence and inconsistencies in testimony


By Anthony Colarossi, Orlando Sentinel
2:01 p.m. EST, February 15, 2012

*SNIPPED*

Delores Laster, the former Orange County teacher accused of killing her husband more than two decades ago, was granted a judgment of acquittal today on her charge of first-degree murder.

Senior Judge O.H. Eaton granted the defense motion for an acquittal — a rare move, especially, in case involving such a serious charge. The ruling came before jurors could render a verdict and even before the defense put on much of its case.

"I'm really very concerned over the scant evidence that the defendant ever committed the crime," Eaton told the attorneys before granting the defense's motion.

=====
* Also video at above link *
 

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