(PA) House Candidate Kills Self on Election Day

[kskiska]

AMBRIDGE, Pa. -- A candidate in Tuesday's primary election committed suicide at his home, Channel 4's Jon Greiner reported.

State House of Representatives candidate Sam Kovolenko died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound Tuesday afternoon, according to Beaver County Coroner Wayne Tatalovich.

Kovolenko, 46, was seeking the Democratic nomination for the seat being vacated by Susan Laughlin in the 16th Legislative District.

more…
http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/news/3243209/detail.html

[TheDonkey]

1. sad

:(

[benfranklin1776]

3. Shocking as hell.

I actually met the guy when he was campaigning. He was a heck of a nice guy and a talented person. He was actually the odds on favorite to win this race having a good track record and having worked for the retiring legislator, Ms Laughlin. I can't imagine what drove him to do this. He must have been under enormous strain. My deepest sympathies to his family.

http://www.post-gazette.com/breaking/20040427kovp2.asp

[PfcHammer]

2. brings back memories of bud dwyer

[splat]

4. Question

Did he win?

[Zan_of_Texas]

5. Obligatory question.

How do we know it was self-inflicted? If there were no witnesses, I want to know how they know, and how they know so quickly before there is an investigation.

There is a stunning lack of detail in this news story.

[hang a left]

6. I clicked on this story earlier.

It sure got my foil antennae up.

On edit; is that how you spell antennae?

[mike1963]

7. I don't think there is any other way to spell 'antennae'

:evilgrin:

[hang a left]

10. Thanks 63. I got my own personal spell-checker.

Cool! :P

[Zan_of_Texas]

11. Okay, I'll try to answer some of my questions

As of the scanty material available on the net right now.

No, there were no witnesses. His wife found him in the bedroom of their home this afternoon. There was a rifle nearby. He was shot, apparently, in the neck. The house was locked.

AP story: "Investigators believe Kovolenko committed suicide because a rifle was found by his body, there were no signs of a break-in and the door to the house was locked, Tatalovich said."

Channel 4 in Pittsburg, in a story updated at 6:38 pm, says:
"State House of Representatives candidate Sam Kovolenko died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound Tuesday afternoon, according to Beaver County Coroner Wayne Tatalovich."

Okay, this is a flashing red light. The coroner tells the media that it's self-inflicted in time for them to write a story by 6:38 pm, for a death that was discovered the same afternoon?

And, exactly how much time did said coroner take to do a ballistics test, toxicology test, fingerprints on weapon test, fingerprints on exit doors test, interviews of friends, colleagues, family? Well, if "afternoon" is 2 p.m., roughly 4 hours. Possibly less.

So, a murderer couldn't steal a house key and lock the door behind him/her? Duh.

I've seen this before, and I just think a coroner ought to take their jolly good time to make a judgment. When they rush to judgment, my antennae go way up!

[RamboLiberal]

13. To add to the tinfoil hat - KDKA radio reported that several

of the candidates in this race had been receiving threatening messages.

[burrowowl]

18. It's a mite hard to

shoot yourself with a rifle (unless you have long long arms), easier with a pistol.

[AP]

8. With 2% counted, he's in 2d place:

Sam Kovolenko 
391
27%

John Cermak 
174
12%

Brian Padgett 
212
15%

Dennis Baker 
200
14%

Sean Ramaley 
460
32%

http://www.nbc10.com/politics/3242659/detail.html

[benfranklin1776]

17. Here are the final results

REPRESENTATIVE IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
16TH LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT - DEM
JOHN CERMAK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12.93%. . 735
SAM KOVOLENKO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26.90%. . 1529
BRIAN M. PADGETT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15.62%. . 888
DENNIS C. BAKER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10.82%. . 615
SEAN M. RAMALEY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33.34%. . 1895


He lost by a mere 366 votes and this was AFTER news of his death had circulated through all of the polling precincts by late afternoon. Hard to say what the final result would have been otherwise, but it certainly looked like he could have won had this not happened.

[AP]

9. Maybe there was some dirt that he was afraid of getting out.

He felt that if he won he lost.

[Just Me]

12. There is something wrong with this country to produce so many suicides!!

GEEZUZ CRIPES!!!

Do we have like the highest rate of suicide,...ever?!?!?!

Seriously.

The rate of suicide in this country is really, really bad. Why is it happening?

Hmmmmm,....

[CaptainMidnight]

14. I wouldnt' say "suicides'

more like DEATHS.

Deaths of DEMOCRATS. Before I even clicked on this thread, I said, "bet he's a Democrat."

Planes going down, being sent anthrax, suicides, etc.

The amazing thing is, if it WERE a suicide over some SHAMEFUL INCIDENT, then you KNOW it's a Democract. Republicans, whether being caught wearing dresses (Jim Walls), in bed with another man (Texas Gov. Rick Perry), procuring the services of a dominatrix (William Bennett), or having their own intern being found dead in their own office (Scarborough), these guys NEVER express remorse over ANYTHING. If disclosed, their lives will be far from ruined. They know the media will cover their ass, spin it away, or not report it at all.

Yes my tin foil is permanently affixed, these days; and I'm being proven right, more and more.

(gotta go; I'm receiving old shortwave broadcasts of Amos 'N Andy)

Captain Mike

[nannah]

15. reminds me of the death of Jim Shea in Boston

in @1970. He was found dead of gunshot after a meeting with his campaign. Jim Shea pushed a bill through the Mass. legislature that said, no citizen of the commonwealth of Massachusetts can be drafted into an undeclared war. The bill was known as the "shea bill". As part of a team of volunteers who worked to educate people and gather signatures, I was a part of public policy development at it's best. and then Jim was found dead.

[loudsue]

16. Tinfoil time

This REEKS. I said the same thing to myself as the previous poster said when I read the title of the thread:

"I'll bet it's a Democrat".

The mafia is running this country. It's a banana republik.

:kick:

[Digit]

19. I also checked to see if he was a dem n/t

What are the odds?

...and a rifle in the neck? Gimme a break!

[ConcernedCanuk]

20. I did some googling earlier, got distracted. so - sorry, no links - but

.
.
.

It seems he was the ONLY candidate that was waffling(for lack of a better word) on one of the major issues, whether or not to legalize gambling, one-arm-bandits, and suggestions were also that he had some reservations how the profits should be dispersed

He also was advocating closing tax loop-holes (oops!) as part of his platform.

If I remember right, he was also an aide to Susan Laughlin, so very familiar with the position.

Other little things, he was very active in the community, I could find no "dirt" so to speak.

Thinks that make me go

hmmmmmmm - :freak: -