Taos slayings: Family shooter was troubled before tragedies

[Guest guest]

" French, 21, said his brother had not been diagnosed with a specific

psychiatric disorder but was having emotional difficulties. "

http://www.freenewmexican.com/news/37438.html#

Taos slayings: Family shooter was troubled before tragedies

By NATALIE STOREY | The New Mexican

January 8, 2006

TAOS -- Caleb French was not thinking clearly and might have been

emotionally disturbed or using drugs, friends and relatives said Saturday.

The 20-year-old man they knew loved his mother, 52-year-old acupuncturist

Peggy French, and his stepfather, 57-year-old solar-home builder ph

Hoar.

But police say Caleb French apparently shot them to death at their home near

Taos on New Year's Eve. He later took his own life as police prepared to

search a shed where he was hiding Thursday behind his father's house.

Family, friends and neighbors memorialized all three of the dead during a

service attended by about 200 people at Kit Carson Park. Hundreds of

brightly colored balloons were released into a sunny sky.

" I want everyone to know that what happened was also a tragedy in that we

lost our little brother, " said Sara Buckingham, 21, Caleb French's

stepsister. " We never, for one second, hated him. There's too much love here

for that. That wasn't him. He wasn't of the right mind at that time. "

Before the killings, family members had believed Caleb French was working

out the problems in his life, staying off of drugs and, until recently,

learning carpentry from his stepfather. They said they were left with few

satisfying answers when they learned what happened.

Dan Kerlinsky, Caleb French's brother-in-law, said he thought the

20-year-old might have fallen back into using drugs. " I knew Caleb, and I

know he would have never done anything like this if he hadn't been full of a

very toxic, powdered substance, " he said. Kerlinsky later said he could only

speculate about drug use.

As a juvenile, Caleb French was charged with unlawful taking of a motor

vehicle and possession of marijuana, charges he admitted in 2001, according

to court records. Two 1999 charges of battery and robbery were dismissed.

Caleb French had dropped out of high school and was known occasionally to

use drugs, relatives said.

French, 21, said his brother had not been diagnosed with a specific

psychiatric disorder but was having emotional difficulties. Caleb French

sometimes got in fights, including one in which his cheek was slashed open

with a knife.

" He had a number of incidents happen in his life, and I think he was just

really scared and confused, " French said.

French said his brother was receiving treatment, although family

members have said they do not know what medication he might have been

taking. Caleb French was a kind, generous and sensitive man, his brother

said. The 20-year-old was a star hockey player as a youth and was once known

as one of the best goalies in New Mexico. He also loved the outdoors and had

a good sense of humor, his brother said.

" He could always laugh at himself, " French said.

Kerlinsky said, " We all loved Caleb. "

Family and friends also had kind words and stories about Peggy French and

her husband on Saturday.

People remembered Hoar as a passionate activist who believed in leaving a

small footprint on the earth. Friends told stories about how he helped

install solar panels at a hospital in Vietnam that did not have power.

Many of Peggy French's former clients also showed up Saturday, saying the

alternative-healing practitioner cured them of afflictions ranging from back

pain to grief.

One woman, who did not give her name, said, " There's a lot of grief floating

around today. It's real hard to feel good, but I know what Peggy would say:

'Breathe in your grief, down to your belly, and then let it go.

[Guest guest]

" French, 21, said his brother had not been diagnosed with a specific

psychiatric disorder but was having emotional difficulties. "

http://www.freenewmexican.com/news/37438.html#

Taos slayings: Family shooter was troubled before tragedies

By NATALIE STOREY | The New Mexican

January 8, 2006

TAOS -- Caleb French was not thinking clearly and might have been

emotionally disturbed or using drugs, friends and relatives said Saturday.

The 20-year-old man they knew loved his mother, 52-year-old acupuncturist

Peggy French, and his stepfather, 57-year-old solar-home builder ph

Hoar.

But police say Caleb French apparently shot them to death at their home near

Taos on New Year's Eve. He later took his own life as police prepared to

search a shed where he was hiding Thursday behind his father's house.

Family, friends and neighbors memorialized all three of the dead during a

service attended by about 200 people at Kit Carson Park. Hundreds of

brightly colored balloons were released into a sunny sky.

" I want everyone to know that what happened was also a tragedy in that we

lost our little brother, " said Sara Buckingham, 21, Caleb French's

stepsister. " We never, for one second, hated him. There's too much love here

for that. That wasn't him. He wasn't of the right mind at that time. "

Before the killings, family members had believed Caleb French was working

out the problems in his life, staying off of drugs and, until recently,

learning carpentry from his stepfather. They said they were left with few

satisfying answers when they learned what happened.

Dan Kerlinsky, Caleb French's brother-in-law, said he thought the

20-year-old might have fallen back into using drugs. " I knew Caleb, and I

know he would have never done anything like this if he hadn't been full of a

very toxic, powdered substance, " he said. Kerlinsky later said he could only

speculate about drug use.

As a juvenile, Caleb French was charged with unlawful taking of a motor

vehicle and possession of marijuana, charges he admitted in 2001, according

to court records. Two 1999 charges of battery and robbery were dismissed.

Caleb French had dropped out of high school and was known occasionally to

use drugs, relatives said.

French, 21, said his brother had not been diagnosed with a specific

psychiatric disorder but was having emotional difficulties. Caleb French

sometimes got in fights, including one in which his cheek was slashed open

with a knife.

" He had a number of incidents happen in his life, and I think he was just

really scared and confused, " French said.

French said his brother was receiving treatment, although family

members have said they do not know what medication he might have been

taking. Caleb French was a kind, generous and sensitive man, his brother

said. The 20-year-old was a star hockey player as a youth and was once known

as one of the best goalies in New Mexico. He also loved the outdoors and had

a good sense of humor, his brother said.

" He could always laugh at himself, " French said.

Kerlinsky said, " We all loved Caleb. "

Family and friends also had kind words and stories about Peggy French and

her husband on Saturday.

People remembered Hoar as a passionate activist who believed in leaving a

small footprint on the earth. Friends told stories about how he helped

install solar panels at a hospital in Vietnam that did not have power.

Many of Peggy French's former clients also showed up Saturday, saying the

alternative-healing practitioner cured them of afflictions ranging from back

pain to grief.

One woman, who did not give her name, said, " There's a lot of grief floating

around today. It's real hard to feel good, but I know what Peggy would say:

'Breathe in your grief, down to your belly, and then let it go.

[Guest guest]

" French, 21, said his brother had not been diagnosed with a specific

psychiatric disorder but was having emotional difficulties. "

http://www.freenewmexican.com/news/37438.html#

Taos slayings: Family shooter was troubled before tragedies

By NATALIE STOREY | The New Mexican

January 8, 2006

TAOS -- Caleb French was not thinking clearly and might have been

emotionally disturbed or using drugs, friends and relatives said Saturday.

The 20-year-old man they knew loved his mother, 52-year-old acupuncturist

Peggy French, and his stepfather, 57-year-old solar-home builder ph

Hoar.

But police say Caleb French apparently shot them to death at their home near

Taos on New Year's Eve. He later took his own life as police prepared to

search a shed where he was hiding Thursday behind his father's house.

Family, friends and neighbors memorialized all three of the dead during a

service attended by about 200 people at Kit Carson Park. Hundreds of

brightly colored balloons were released into a sunny sky.

" I want everyone to know that what happened was also a tragedy in that we

lost our little brother, " said Sara Buckingham, 21, Caleb French's

stepsister. " We never, for one second, hated him. There's too much love here

for that. That wasn't him. He wasn't of the right mind at that time. "

Before the killings, family members had believed Caleb French was working

out the problems in his life, staying off of drugs and, until recently,

learning carpentry from his stepfather. They said they were left with few

satisfying answers when they learned what happened.

Dan Kerlinsky, Caleb French's brother-in-law, said he thought the

20-year-old might have fallen back into using drugs. " I knew Caleb, and I

know he would have never done anything like this if he hadn't been full of a

very toxic, powdered substance, " he said. Kerlinsky later said he could only

speculate about drug use.

As a juvenile, Caleb French was charged with unlawful taking of a motor

vehicle and possession of marijuana, charges he admitted in 2001, according

to court records. Two 1999 charges of battery and robbery were dismissed.

Caleb French had dropped out of high school and was known occasionally to

use drugs, relatives said.

French, 21, said his brother had not been diagnosed with a specific

psychiatric disorder but was having emotional difficulties. Caleb French

sometimes got in fights, including one in which his cheek was slashed open

with a knife.

" He had a number of incidents happen in his life, and I think he was just

really scared and confused, " French said.

French said his brother was receiving treatment, although family

members have said they do not know what medication he might have been

taking. Caleb French was a kind, generous and sensitive man, his brother

said. The 20-year-old was a star hockey player as a youth and was once known

as one of the best goalies in New Mexico. He also loved the outdoors and had

a good sense of humor, his brother said.

" He could always laugh at himself, " French said.

Kerlinsky said, " We all loved Caleb. "

Family and friends also had kind words and stories about Peggy French and

her husband on Saturday.

People remembered Hoar as a passionate activist who believed in leaving a

small footprint on the earth. Friends told stories about how he helped

install solar panels at a hospital in Vietnam that did not have power.

Many of Peggy French's former clients also showed up Saturday, saying the

alternative-healing practitioner cured them of afflictions ranging from back

pain to grief.

One woman, who did not give her name, said, " There's a lot of grief floating

around today. It's real hard to feel good, but I know what Peggy would say:

'Breathe in your grief, down to your belly, and then let it go.

[Guest guest]

" French, 21, said his brother had not been diagnosed with a specific

psychiatric disorder but was having emotional difficulties. "

http://www.freenewmexican.com/news/37438.html#

Taos slayings: Family shooter was troubled before tragedies

By NATALIE STOREY | The New Mexican

January 8, 2006

TAOS -- Caleb French was not thinking clearly and might have been

emotionally disturbed or using drugs, friends and relatives said Saturday.

The 20-year-old man they knew loved his mother, 52-year-old acupuncturist

Peggy French, and his stepfather, 57-year-old solar-home builder ph

Hoar.

But police say Caleb French apparently shot them to death at their home near

Taos on New Year's Eve. He later took his own life as police prepared to

search a shed where he was hiding Thursday behind his father's house.

Family, friends and neighbors memorialized all three of the dead during a

service attended by about 200 people at Kit Carson Park. Hundreds of

brightly colored balloons were released into a sunny sky.

" I want everyone to know that what happened was also a tragedy in that we

lost our little brother, " said Sara Buckingham, 21, Caleb French's

stepsister. " We never, for one second, hated him. There's too much love here

for that. That wasn't him. He wasn't of the right mind at that time. "

Before the killings, family members had believed Caleb French was working

out the problems in his life, staying off of drugs and, until recently,

learning carpentry from his stepfather. They said they were left with few

satisfying answers when they learned what happened.

Dan Kerlinsky, Caleb French's brother-in-law, said he thought the

20-year-old might have fallen back into using drugs. " I knew Caleb, and I

know he would have never done anything like this if he hadn't been full of a

very toxic, powdered substance, " he said. Kerlinsky later said he could only

speculate about drug use.

As a juvenile, Caleb French was charged with unlawful taking of a motor

vehicle and possession of marijuana, charges he admitted in 2001, according

to court records. Two 1999 charges of battery and robbery were dismissed.

Caleb French had dropped out of high school and was known occasionally to

use drugs, relatives said.

French, 21, said his brother had not been diagnosed with a specific

psychiatric disorder but was having emotional difficulties. Caleb French

sometimes got in fights, including one in which his cheek was slashed open

with a knife.

" He had a number of incidents happen in his life, and I think he was just

really scared and confused, " French said.

French said his brother was receiving treatment, although family

members have said they do not know what medication he might have been

taking. Caleb French was a kind, generous and sensitive man, his brother

said. The 20-year-old was a star hockey player as a youth and was once known

as one of the best goalies in New Mexico. He also loved the outdoors and had

a good sense of humor, his brother said.

" He could always laugh at himself, " French said.

Kerlinsky said, " We all loved Caleb. "

Family and friends also had kind words and stories about Peggy French and

her husband on Saturday.

People remembered Hoar as a passionate activist who believed in leaving a

small footprint on the earth. Friends told stories about how he helped

install solar panels at a hospital in Vietnam that did not have power.

Many of Peggy French's former clients also showed up Saturday, saying the

alternative-healing practitioner cured them of afflictions ranging from back

pain to grief.

One woman, who did not give her name, said, " There's a lot of grief floating

around today. It's real hard to feel good, but I know what Peggy would say:

'Breathe in your grief, down to your belly, and then let it go.