On April 19, 2000, a homeowners' association meeting in the quiet retirement community of Ventana Lakes in Peoria, Arizona, turned into a scene of terror and tragedy. Esther LaPlante, a 58-year-old woman, was one of two fatalities in a mass shooting that shattered the peace of the suburban Phoenix community. LaPlante, who had recently been elected to the association's board, was attending her first meeting.
The assailant was Richard Glassel, a 61-year-old former resident of the community
who held a long-standing grudge against the homeowners' association. The disputes reportedly stemmed from issues the association had with the maintenance of his property's landscaping. This animosity culminated in Glassel losing his home to foreclosure the year prior to the attack. Seeking revenge, Glassel arrived at the Ventana Lakes Yacht Club, where the meeting was being held. He was heavily armed with an AR-15 assault rifle and two 9-millimeter pistols, carrying approximately 700 rounds of ammunition.
Without warning, Glassel opened fire on the assembled members of the homeowners' association. In a matter of 23 seconds, he fired 10 shots before his weapon jammed. In the chaos, Esther LaPlante was fatally wounded. Another board member, 69-year-old Nila Lynn, was also killed. Three other individuals were wounded in the attack. The deadly rampage was cut short when several attendees tackled Glassel to the ground and subdued him until law enforcement arrived.
Richard Glassel was arrested at the scene and subsequently charged with two counts of first-degree murder and 30 counts of attempted murder. In December 2002, a Maricopa County jury found him guilty on all 32 counts. The following month, in January 2003, that same jury sentenced him to death. Glassel spent the next decade on death row. On January 15, 2013, Richard Glassel died of apparent natural causes, closing the final chapter on the tragic death of Esther LaPlante and the violence that befell the Ventana Lakes community.
