On a tragic night in Klamath Falls, Oregon, the life of 27-year-old Gary Lee Anderson was cut short. On July 23, 1977, Anderson was one of six people killed in a mass shooting at Uncle Albert's Lounge. The devastating event left a lasting scar on the community.
The gunman, identified as DeWitt Charles Henry, a 26-year-old unemployed truck driver, entered the nightclub armed with a semi-automatic rifle and opened fire.
The attack was reportedly preceded by an argument Henry had with another individual at the bar. In addition to Anderson, the other victims were Robert David Seater, 26; his 23-year-old wife Carrol Ann Seater, who was pregnant; Michael Gene Mortensen, 23; Andrew Lane Walker, 23; and James L. Trueman, 25.
Following the shooting, Henry was apprehended by state troopers after a gunfight in which he was wounded. He was subsequently put on trial and, in November 1979, a jury found him guilty on six counts of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder. Henry's defense, which claimed a "mental defect," was rejected by the jury. He was sentenced to six consecutive life sentences and was not eligible for the death penalty as Oregon did not have capital punishment at the time.
