Karen Lotz, 59, was shot and killed at her Barrington home on January 15, 2016, after a domestic argument that began over a coffee maker. Court records say her husband, Larry Lotz, 65, retreated to an upstairs office, armed himself with a .45-caliber handgun, and fired four times when Karen entered, striking her three times including once in the head. She was taken to a hospital and died shortly after.

Larry Lotz was arrested at the scene; police recovered the handgun and investigators reported he called one of their sons before calling 911 and confessed to the shooting. He was charged with first-degree murder; his defense later raised dissociation and possible PTSD from Vietnam service. Karen worked nearly 20 years at Harper College in Palatine and was pursuing a master’s degree at Robert Morris University Illinois; colleagues remembered her commitment to education and interests in animal welfare and economic empowerment.