Warrants: Husband 'just lost it' before shooting wife, her lover

Star Tribune

Last update: August 28, 2008 - 12:00 AM

A Zimmerman, Minn., father and grandfather "just lost it" before he shot and killed his wife, her lover and then himself, because he feared she was leaving him, according to search warrants made public this week.

Gary Heald, his wife, Deloris (DeDe) Heald, 56, and Rory Zitur, 47, of St. Michael, apparently met through an online swingers network. The Healds' bodies were found in their home Aug. 20; Zitur's was found in his later that day.

The warrants were issued in Wright and Sherburne counties to search the homes after the bodies were found.

Citing an ongoing investigation, authorities would not say much about how the three knew each other, but a Wright County warrant said Zitur and Deloris Heald "had met online and would exchange e-mail messages."

Capt. Don Starry of the Sherburne County Sheriff's Office said Wednesday that the involvement of an online swingers' club has not been ruled out.

"We have information that that sort of website was involved in this," he said. "To what extent, I don't know if we've determined all that."

According to the warrants: A son entered the home to find a note from Gary Heald that said "I lost it, and I shot them both. I shot my wife sorry." It also said that he was upset with "Rory" because Deloris Heald had said "was leaving Gary for Rory." The handgun was found in Gary Heald's hand.

Investigators recovered computers from Zitur's home, but conversations between Zitur and Deloris Heald believed to be contained on the computers will not be searched, said Sgt. Becky Howell of the Wright County Sheriff's Office.

"I don't think we're going to pry into the personal lives of these people anymore," she said.

ABBY SIMONS

Recent www.startribune.com stories

Minn.'s Chemberlin to take national church post - August 28, 2008

Minn.'s Chemberlin to take national church post - The longtime leader of the Minnesota Council of Churches will be officially installed today as the president of the National Council of Churches. | Nov, 8, 2007: Chemberlin elected | Chemberlin blog: Children in a violent world More