DA's report confirms: Affair led to cop shootings

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March 15, 2012

DA's report confirms: Affair led to cop shootings

By Paul Leigbhton Staff Writer The Gloucester Daily Times Thu Mar 15, 2012, 04:31 PM EDT

BEVERLY — Hamilton Police Sgt. Kenneth Nagy shot Beverly Police Officer Jason Lantych because Nagy believed Lantych was having an affair with his wife, according to a summary of the investigation released today by the Essex County District Attorney's Office.

The report says Nagy texted Lantych early on the morning of the shooting and said, "Hey Jay ... thanks a lot buddy," then called Lantych an expletive and texted, "See you soon my friend."

Nagy, described as "distraught" over the alleged affair, fired two shots through the open window of his SUV at Lantych after the two had arranged to meet at Starbucks in North Beverly on Feb. 24. He returned to the scene five hours later and killed himself inside his SUV with a gunshot to the head.

The investigation concluded that there was no "prosecutable crime" surrounding the shooting and suicide.

The investigation summary also revealed that Nagy left a suicide note on a laptop computer at his Rowley home along with $3,900 in cash. The suicide note was created at about 5 p.m., less than an hour before the shooting.

Investigators laid out the details leading up to the shooting starting on Feb. 23, the day before. They said Nagy arrived at his home in Rowley at about 7 a.m. after working the midnight shift. At 10 a.m., he attended a doctor's appointment and was prescribed Zoloft.

Two hours later, Nagy met his wife, Katherine, at the Beverly Police Department's satellite domestic violence office, where she works as a victim advocate, to discuss his medical appointment.

At 6 o'clock that night, Nagy and his wife attended the funeral/wake service for retired Hamilton Police Sgt. Paul Grant. Nagy was posted in uniform at the entrance to the funeral home and left the service early.

Nagy went to the Sprint store at 11 Enon St. in Beverly, near the Starbucks, complaining of problems with his cell phone. He later returned home and was scheduled to work the midnight shift again.

But instead of going to work, Nagy left his house at midnight and drove around. About an hour later, he returned home and woke up Katherine.

At the time, Nagy told Katherine that he believed she was having an improper relationship with Lantych. The discussion included the possibility of divorce, the report indicated.

For more on this story, look to tomorrow's print and online editions of the Glocuester Daily Times and gloucestertimes.com.