Marianne Laweka, a 53-year-old woman, tragically lost her life on February 3, 1980, in El Paso, Texas. She was one of five victims killed in a mass shooting at the Starburst Lounge in Northeast El Paso. The incident, which also left three others wounded, was perpetrated by Barry Chvarak, a 21-year-old man who was later charged with five counts of murder.
The shooting occurred around 1:30 a.m.
when Chvarak entered the bar and began firing a .22-caliber rifle at random, resulting in the deaths of Kathleen Lynn Austin , Jana L. Carpenter , Frederik Bergford , Randy Wayne Steele , and Marianne Laweka. Witnesses described the scene as chaotic, with many patrons initially mistaking the gunshots for firecrackers. Chvarak was arrested and held under a $1 million bond, with $200,000 for each murder count.
The case drew significant attention due to the brutality of the attack and the randomness with which the victims were chosen. The El Paso community was deeply shaken by the event, which was described as the city's largest mass killing at the time. Despite the arrest and charges brought against Chvarak, the incident remains a somber chapter in El Paso's history, and the memories of those lost continue to be honored by the community.
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