Re: Fairfax Station murder
Posted by:
Floridian
()
Date: June 10, 2009 08:19AM
From the Meridian written in March by Carolyn Allen
A little background info on the "Teagues":
When Spencer was in about the 2 nd grade, without any encouragement on our part, he fell in love with baseball. From toddler-hood it was clear that he had inherited every athletic, competitive gene that was allotted to my children because the rest of them are quite content to get physical activity through other non-competitive means.
Spencer, however, was born to play hard, to study the teams, the players, the games, the history, and most of all, to compete hard in a healthy way and win.
I believe that some of that natural drive and passion was honed during his Little League years with a memorable coach when he was 10, 11 and 12. “The Mets” was a Little League team with a long-standing history of great training, a quest for excellence and many victories. It was coached by an outstanding man, a retired, disciplined military officer who was well-established in a lucrative second career. He had a stern, but fair demeanor that let us all know he was to be taken seriously.
We sat, as all Little League parents do, through many, many games with the other parents. Among our favorites were the coach's wife and her own parents. They were all lovely, lovely people, and clearly enjoyed “the good life.” The coach himself drove his athletically gifted sons in a beautiful Cadillac Escalade.
I had a hard time figuring out when he went to work as he was so available for coaching and games during hours that most Washington DC professionals are at work. His wife arrived just in time for games in perfect short-sets, emerging from her BMW at the ball fields as if she'd just been to the spa. Her perfect make-up and designer haircuts were a far cry from how most of us appeared for a ball game. Needless to say, she was trim and exceptionally attractive. Her hard-to-miss jewelry sparkled in the sun, accented by professionally polished nails hands as she clapped and cheered in a refined voice “Be a hitter, Kevin!”
Team parties were held at their home which was located in an exclusive luxury neighborhood. Every detail of their home, the yard and the lavish parties indicated that money was of no concern.
As we became acquainted over the years, we learned that they had earned their places: They had married a bit later in life, then had struggled with infertility for many years before being blessed with their three children, a son followed 2 years later by twins. They were wonderful people, memorable in ways far more important than the cars the drove, the clothes they wore, and the house they lived in.
Sadly, as Little League ended, so did our association with them. Nearly ten years quickly passed.
Two weeks ago, Bob picked up the Washington Post at a friend's house, that had been opened to the obituaries. To his great shock, there was the coach's wife! She was dead, at age 58. Even more distressing than the fact that she was dead was the cause of the death: “ She was shot during a domestic altercation, and the incident remains under criminal investigation, county police said. ” (“Margaret Teague, Fairfax Virginia, Age 58 Washington Post, March 14, 2009 )
How could this possibly be?! A quick search on the Internet revealed that, according to the coach's report to the police, they had been home alone arguing about their impending divorce after 37 years of marriage. (They had seemed so happy during our years with them! ) Somehow a gun was introduced into the argument. Police received a call from him, saying that they had been arguing, shots had been fired, they had both been shot. His wife was not breathing. The weapon was lying on the floor beside them.” When the police arrived, his wound was minor. She was dead. He maintains that it was her that first shot him, then in the wrestle, misfired and shot herself.
There are, however, no witnesses. How will anyone every know if what he reported is true?
We were, and still are, in shock. Everything seemed so perfect! Yes, they “had it all” but they were so nice! A divorce after 37 years? Were there spousal abuse problems? Financial problems? Anger management or clinical depression? Other mental health issues? Family skeletons in the closet? Gambling, drugs or alcohol problems? It is impossible not to wonder. And why were these things not addressed earlier? Surely there were warning signs that could have helped!
It's odd, isn't it, the things in this life that show, and the things that don't? The things that are ignored until it's too late?