MR. and MRS. PARK L. LATIMER
Arizona Republican Newspaper
October 27, 1909

Prescott--About 2 o'clock yesterday morning County and City 
Surveyor Park L. Latimer was shot and killed by his wife, 
who, after lying down on the floor beside the lifeless body 
of her husband, sent a bullet crashing through her own heart.  
Attired in their night robes, the bodies were found on the 
bedroom floor, the wife's head resting on the husband's 
outstretched arm.

The bodies were not discovered until 11:30 this morning by 
H.C. Shotwell, the partner of Latimer, who, after failing to 
get any response to his repeated telephone calls, went  to 
the house of the Latimers in East Prescott, and finding the 
door locked, broke in and made the gruesome discovery.

It is claimed that jealousy prompted Mrs. Latimer to take the 
life of her husband.  The Latimers were well thought of here 
and their tragic death has cast a gloom over the city.  
Latimer was a partner of J.B. Girand until the latter was 
appointed territorial engineer.

Another dispatch to the Republican last night stated that Mrs. 
Latimer fired five shots before she killed her husband.  The 
indications were that she fired the first shot while he was 
asleep but missed and the bullet went through the pillow. He 
must have sprung from the bed and tried to grapple with her 
while she fired three other shots, the marks of which were 
found on the walls.  The fifth was fatal.

The woman had evidently not determined how she would die for 
poison and a knife were found in the room.  She then reloaded 
the pistol and placed the muzzle of the pistol at her breast 
and fired.

The man in Phoneix most astounded at the news yesterday 
afternoon was Frank R. Stewart, who had been talking with 
Latimer at Prescott the afternoon before.  Shorlty before 
that Mr. Stewart had driven his wife to the home of the 
Latimers to make a call, but leanred that Mrs. Latimer was 
attending a meeting of the Monday Club.

As intimatley as he was acquainted iwt hthe Latimers, who 
formerly lived for a long time on the opposite side of the 
street, Mr. Stewart said he had never heard of the jealousy 
of Mrs. Latimer.  Their married life was apparently most 
happy and he knew that Mr. Latimer was a devoted husband.  
Mrs. Latimer, he said, had certainly no cause for jealousy.  
Her husband had no bad habits; he had spent all of his time 
at home when he was not engaged in official or professional 
duties and was in all ways a model husband.