Homer David Piatt, known as Dave, was 72 and lived in Las Cruces, Ohio, when he died on October 15, 2020. A former Haydenville postmaster and U.S. Army veteran, he suffered from chronic illness and mobility impairment. Reports say he asked his wife to end his life because of his health problems.

Gayle L. Piatt, 64, shot Dave with a small-caliber firearm; she later told police she had done it at his request and then attempted an overdose. She confessed to police three days after the shooting. Gayle Piatt was charged with murder, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter, and was sentenced to 11 to 16 1/2 years in prison.

Was anyone in the community aware of Dave’s medical decline or conversations about end-of-life wishes that could shed light on what happened?