Video: Ex-wife of Sequim shooter says he terrorized her

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SEQUIM, Wash. - Mary White says for the first time in two years, she and her 8-year-old daughter are safe again.

"I feel very blessed that I'm alive, but the joy of that is gone because other people died instead of me," she said. "I don't have any solace in that information, because it's tragic that it happened."

Her ex-husband, 36-year-old Shawn Roe, was killed in a shootout with Clallam County deputies near Sequim Saturday night.

Earlier in the day, investigators say, he shot and killed 51-year-old U.S. Forest Service Officer Kristine Fairbanks and 59-year-old Richard Ziegler, a retired California corrections officer who had moved to the area to build his dream retirement home.

At the time, Roe was under state supervision following 2006 convictions involving White, who was married to Roe for six years.

He forcibly kept her at their home, and according to court documents, "proceeded to fire all six rounds from his revolver at the cell phone" she was trying to use to call for help.

"We have to move, change our children's school, get different jobs."

She felt in danger as soon as Roe was released from jail and out on probation this summer.

The state Department of Corrections took action to have Roe arrested following a series of apparent probation violations.

A warrant was requested last Monday, but officials in Mason County had not issued it yet.

"Of course we'd always like for it to be quicker, but there are sometimes circumstances that prevent that from happening," said Belinda Stewart, Department of Corrections.

White says keeping Roe locked up is the only way her family and this weekend's victims could have been kept safe.

In 2006 Mary White resigned as a teacher in Lacey after she brought a gun and bullets to school to protect her from her ex-husband.

She says looking back she regrets that decision, but says the deaths over the weekend prove her fears were justified.

Town in mourning

USFS

Kristine Fairbanks and her canine partner, Radar.

Flags throughout Forks fly at half staff out of respect for U.S. Forest Service Officer Kristine Fairbanks.

"Kris was just part of us, and so we feel like part of us is missing now, if we could just turn back time," said Cynthia Bork, U.S. Forest Service.

Fairbanks is beloved in this area, known for her work with church, animals and children, as well as her tireless devotion to her husband and 15-year-old daughter.

"A very nice, warm, loving mother who was very concerned with her daughter and made sure she was part of their life. They were a very happy family," said friend Marcia Bingham.

Fairbanks balanced family life with 4-H activities that involved teaching kids about dogs, including her trusty K9 companion "Radar."

At her forest service headquarters there are flowers of remembrance as co-workers dutifully carry out their daily routines in vehicles bearing the black bar of mourning.

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Richard Ziegler, a retired California corrections officer, had moved to the area to build his dream retirement home.

All in respect for a woman who traveled the country taking on risky forest service assignments like tracking down drug runners, poachers and fugitives - with one goal in mind.

"She had a vision of the world being a better place, a better place. And she worked toward that goal. Her whole life was devoted to that goal," said Bork.

Forks Mayor Nedra Reed said she and her husband saw Fairbanks the morning she died, as the officer headed off to work.

"We both talked about what a great person she was and we both said 'well I hope she'll be careful today," said Reed.

The Fairbanks family is mourning privately, but one neighbor said as soon as they say the word the family will be "encircled in the love of this entire community."

A memorial service for Officer Kristine Fairbanks will be held next Monday at 1 p.m. at the Civic Center in Port Angeles. It will be open to the public.