Police say hotel suspect may have killed ex- wife
PORTLAND (AP)
— A man accused of
killing his former
girlfriend with a
series of shotgun
blasts at a Portland
hotel is suspected of killing his ex-wife
earlier in the day in Pullman, Wash., police
said Wednesday.
Kevin Clarl Lust was also convicted in
l<Wt2 of assaulting a previous wife in Junc
tion City. Ore.
Lust, 35, was charged with murder in
the death of Bridgette S. Nelson, 2H, of
Portland. Lust is accused of walking into
the Red Lion Inn on thu Columbia River
Tuesday and shooting Nelson at her office
desk, said police Sgt TX'rrick Foxworth
Tuesday evening. Teia L. Pingree was
found dead at her Pullman home after a
co-worker reported she had not come to
work. Pingree, 35, also appeared to have
been killed by a shotgun blast but an autop
sy was pending, polka* said in a statement
Police said neighbors reported hearing
gunshots early Tuesday morning
Lust was believed to have been in the
Pullman area recently, but had not liven
c harged in his ex-wife's death, the police
statement said. *
Lust pleaded guilty to choking his wife
Deborrah Lust into unconsciousness 11
years ago in Junction Citv. after she had
filed for a divorce. He was sentenced to
a year in prison and five years' probation
Junction City police said he tried to hang
himself in his jail call after the IUH2 arrest.
Lust was arrested Tuesday after he was
tackled by a hotel security guard who
pinned him against a wall and handcuffed
turn. Fox worth said
The quick action by the unarmed i hief
of security probably saved the lives of at
least two witnesses, Foxvvorth said.
This gunman apparently asked for dm*.
lions to Nelson's office about 2:20 p m
before be walked in and fired at least four
shots w ith a shotgun. Foxworth said
The security chief, who was not iden
tified. told police he was standing at the
top of a flight of stairs that lead from the
lobby to Nelson's office when he heard the
first two gunshots
He ran down the stairs and looked in the
office, where he saw <i man reloading a
shotgun, lie heard two more shots
moments later, before he rushed into the
office through another door and subdued
the gunman. Foxworth said
Nelson's parents. Terry and Bette Nel
son of The Dalles, said Wednesday their
daughter spent last weekend at home with
them.
Nelson's father said she had talked alsiut
Lust, complaining that "somebody had
been calling and hanging up "
t-oxworth said Nelson and Lust had
worked together at the Red Lion Hotel in
Modesto. (ialif lie said Nelson and Lust
had a relationship hut that Nelson had
called it off in October
Kim Hansink, a Red Lion spokeswoman,
said Lust worked in purchasing at the
Modesto Red Lion lie began work there
in May 1990 and quit a year ago.
Nelson had worked as a catering sales
manager for the Portland Red Lion since
the tloginning of lanuary
The shootingap|sirently did not disrupt
nearby meetings Ciuests who wanted to
use the barber shop next door to Nelson’s
office were told they would have to
reschedule Most |>*x)plo in the hotel appor
entlv were unaware of the shooting
"We heard two low sounds like ham
mering on pipes Doom Doom." said Eri
ka Stephens, ih, who was in the room nest
to the shooting for a < osinotu s seminar
Nopet policy snags
retired guide dog
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — When the man
known as Dr. Peter died of AIDS last November, a close friend
promised to care for Harvey, his guide dog
But when Harvey retired from active duty, his legal status as
a guide dog retired with him. which meant he could no longer
enter or live in places normally off-limits to dogs.
Equitable Real Estate Investment Corp. of Vancouver sees
Harvey os a pet rather than a guide dog
Equitable manages the building where Andy Him ox. 4.1, and
Harvey lived with Dr. Peter Jepson-Young. best known for a
personal televised diary in which he documented the progress
of his disease.
Animal advocacy and tenants' rights groups recently asked
the British Columbia government to amend the Residential
Tenancy Act to permit pets, but were turned down. Landlords
may legally evict pet-owning renters.
Equitable wants Harvey out under the terms of its no-pets
policy. But Hiscox and Harvey will both have to move.
“Giving Harvey up isn't an option." Hiscox said Tuesday
"He's part of my life, my life with Peter and that family we
were. It would be like giving up a member of my family "
"We re not cruel landlords — we understand the situation."
said Gordon Hill. Equitable property manager
"The dog was a working dog before. Now he's not ”
While Hiscox hasn't yet received an eviction notice. Equi
table has raised the subject with him three times.
Hiscox has lived in the building just over two years and Har
vey, who is part-Ijib. several months longer than that.
Eollowing what urban planner Hiscox calls "one little wee
barking incident” several weeks ago. Harvey each d*y accom
panies him to his downtown Vancouver office.
Equitable allowed pets in its 2H Vancouver buildings sever
al years ago but the situation "got out of hand" and the com
pany is now phasing them out by not allowing new [mt acqui
sitions among its 1,000 tenants. Hill said.
"I've just had a case where it cost me several thousand dol
lars for an eight-month-old carpet that was ruined by a pet. he
said.
"To a certain extent, 1 can see the landlord’s perspective.
Hiscox said. "It’s not pets who are the problem, but pet own
ers."
.— University Theatre
Second Season Presents
<
'/I
A comedy by Jon Klein
Join two ex-convicts
on a rollicking adventure
as they struggle against
corruption and racial
injustice
February
24, 25, 26. 27
March
4. 5,6
ARENA THEATER
Villard Hall
University of Oregon
346-4191
Court hears public beach challenge
SALEM (AP) — Oregon's law ensuring public
access to buachos shouldn't lie used to ban .ill com
men ial projects on dry sand areas, the Oregon
Supreme Court was told Wednesday
The court heard arguments in a challenge to the
milestone law that guarantees a public easement to
the beaches
Property in the dry sand area, generally between
the average high tide mark and the vegetation line,
can be privately owned Hut owners i an t blot k
public access to the beaches
Irving "Bud" Stevens of Cannon Beach appealed
uftor state and local offit oils prohibited him from
building a sea wall as part a 30-unit motel lie
wants to build in Cannon Beach The property is
near the Ecola Inn Motel, which he operates
The Oregon Court of Appeals ruled against
Stevens last August, saying the public's rights pre
vail over his property rights.
Stevens' attorney, Carry McMurry of Portland,
said the Supreme Court should decide if the state
can regulate uses on dry sand areas hut cannot
block all development
Stevens claims he's being deprived of his prop
erty rights and should be reimbursed if he can't go
ahead with the project tie contends the UKi by-fi V
foot parcel is worth about $500,000.
But Michael Reynolds, an assistant state atlor
ney general, said ownership of lieat h front .it r»?nm>
does not allow Stevens to list- it any way he wants
Reynolds s.ntl there's no government "taking" of
private property for which t ompensatinn might In*
owtul unless .i property right is denied Stevens'
properly rigfits "simply do not mi huh* develop
ment rights." he said
I he proposed sen wall would ext hide the pub
lic from 12.500 square feet of dry sand area.
Reynolds said, t reating a major olistat le to beach
access
The Legislature passed the beach law m 1967
after an outpouring of public support The stale
Supreme Court upheld the statute in 1969.
Mt Murry said that t ourl decision shouldn't
apply relro.it lively to Stevens because he bought
the property m 1957.
He also contended that photos show the stale
lias allowed two commercial developments on drv
sand areas, one in Lincoln City and one in Flo
rence.
Several Supreme Court judges indit ated they
might favor dec iding the case on narrower grounds
of whether the trial court had authority to dismiss
the appeal in the first place.
"I'll! not interested in where lines ought to be
drawn in the sand." said Justice Michael C.illette
Washington debates aay rights bill
OLYMPIA (AP) — Before an
often unruly and out-of-order
audience, a late-night hearing by
the Mouse State Government
Committee heard testimony on a
measure to ban discrimination
against gays and lesbians.
Chairman Cal Anderson. D
Seattle. the main sponsor of
MB 144 3 and the Washington Leg
islature's first openly gay mem
ber. was frequently shouted down
as he tried to preside over the
Tuesday night meeting.
A estimated 700 people crowd
ed the House Chambers and gal
leries. whore the hearing was
moved because of the largo audi
ence. Supporter# ami opponents
of the bill objected often and
loudly to testimony with which
they disagreed
The measure would give gays
and lesbians the same protections
against discrimination now grant
ed other people fused on religion,
race. sex. ethnic origin or dis
ability.
The committee is scheduled to
vote on the bill this afternoon
Opponents of the bill called
homosexuality sinful and per
verted. lawmakers were repeat
edly urged to vote against what
opponents tailed "sfH* ial rights "
The bill's supporters asked the
committee to vote in favor of jus
tice and against those who “ped
dle hate and perpetuate fear."
"We simply ask to he treated
like everyone else," soul Kathleen
Conroy, vice president of the Pri
vacy Fund, a lesbian and gay
poliliud action committee
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