Printable VersionThe worst shooting in the history of Lake Havasu City occurred late Saturday when 26-year-old Brian Diez entered a residence in the 300 block of Opossum Drive and opened fire with a .40 caliber handgun. The tragedy left in its wake five members of the community dead, and one woman fighting for her life in a Las Vegas hospital.
 Jaye Hanson/News-Herald Photo A memorial of flowers, a photograph of shooting victim Deborah Langstaff and a guestbook for memories sits the the lobby of Havasu Regional Medical Center Monday, |
As for the other five victims, friends and family shared memories amid their grief Monday with Today’s News-Herald.
“We are very, very saddened and quite shocked over the events that have happened … our thoughts go out to the families,” said Sheena Benson, spokeswoman for Havasu Regional Medical Center.
Deborah Langstaff, 23, was a nurse at the local hospital. A memorial of flowers, a photograph and a guest book for visitors to write memories of Langstaff was set up in the lobby of the hospital Monday.
Langstaff was pronounced dead at the scene of the shooting Saturday night. She was the mother of two children, 13-month old Cole Diez and 4-year-old Kaia Diez, which Diez fathered during a long-term relationship with Langstaff.
Langstaff attended Mohave Community College and was a Fall 2006 MCC Nursing Program graduate, according to Michael Kearns, president of MCC.
The “Favorite Quotation” posted on Langstaff’s Facebook info page is “Life is not about how many breaths you take, but how many moments take your breath away.” She has 139 friends on the popular social networking website.
Langstaff’s current boyfriend, 24-year-old Primo Verdone, of Havasu, was another victim pronounced dead at the scene of the shooting that night.
“(Verdone) was very outgoing and willing to do anything for his friends. He was pretty much the life of the party. I knew him about three years,” said James Schembri, Desert Hills Fire Department firefighter. “I met him through a buddy at the fire department … I was shocked (at the news of his death), to be honest, I didn’t believe it.”
Desert Hills Fire Department Fire Chief Mat Espinoza said Verdone was participated in the department’s Explorer Program beginning in 2004 when he was 15 years old.
“Primo was a very stand up guy, very interested in the fire service and worked to learn as much as he could as quickly as he could,” Espinoza said. “It tears me up to even hear that this even happened. …I was devastated, to think that it all ended up, I don’t know, there isn’t even words for it — it is horrible. There is no sense in this whatsoever. My heart goes out to the families of the victims … it is something that should make all parents out there go and hug their kids a little bit tighter tonight.”
Espinoza said Verdone remained with the department’s explorer program until he was 18 years old. At that time he moved to California where attended a fire academy and became a certified firefighter.
“Primo was my friend, as all the kids were that went through the program, and that makes it hard,” Espinoza said.
Havasu residents Russell Nyland, 42, and his daughter Ashleigh Nyland, 20, are the other two victims pronounced dead at the scene that night. They are the husband and daughter of survivor Debbi Nyland.
“(Russ Nyland) and wife his Debbi owned Sea Tow … Russ participated in a lot of Lake Clean Ups and Debbi was the treasurer of Lake Havasu Marine Association for a year or a year-and-a-half sometime in 2007 and 2008,” said Jim Salscheider, executive director of Lake Havasu Marine Association. “Russ, he was a great guy. Always there to help … they were a big part of the boating industry in Havasu.”
Salscheider said the news of the tragedy traveled quickly between marine association members and boating industry members on Sunday.
“Everybody was just numb and in shock. It is hard to believe something like that would happen here,” he said.
The Nyland’s neighbor and part-time Havasu resident Dick Jones was also stunned by the news.
“I about died when I read it in the paper (Monday) morning … they were my neighbors. They were a wonderful family,” Jones said.
Chris Hamlin, owner of Prestige Marine, employed Ashleigh Nyland and was a friend of the Nyland family.
“Ashleigh was like a daughter to me … she was reliable, responsible and just had fun. She was just really into making everybody happy.” Hamlin said. “Russ was always there to help. I met them five years ago, and the warmth and extension that we got from their family made me feel like I have know them my whole life, not just five years.”
Many of those interviewed Monday agreed that as a family unit, the Nylands came as a package deal.
“I have never seen a family closer or a husband and wife get along like they did, they were best friends,” Hamlin said.
Twenty-year-old Broc Kelson, was Ashleigh’s boyfriend. Kelson was alive when emergency responders arrived on scene. He was transported to Havasu Regional Medical Center, however succumbed to his injuries after arriving, according to earlier reports.
“As far as Ashleigh, I was really protective. And with Broc, it was like, but if you are going to go out with anyone, go out with this kid,” Hamlin said.
Hamlin speculated that his friends Russ and Debbi Nyland probably stopped by the birthday party to see “the kids,” Ashleigh and Broc, that night.
“They were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. And I don’t think Ashleigh, Russ or Debbi really knew Deborah (Langstaff). But Broc was friends with Primo, that’s probably why they were all together,” Hamlin said. “It is unbelievable, unimaginable. I was just hoping it was a bad rumor.”
Randy Rizzi also knew the Nylands, Verdone and Kelson. However, he also did not know Deborah Langstaff.
“Broc, in a word, that kid had the largest heart you have ever seen in the entire world,” Rizzi said. Rizzi thought Ashleigh and Broc met about one year ago, but had been involved as a couple for maybe only the past month or so. He said Broc was into “off-roading, boating, or anything to do with motors.”
“Ashleigh was a sweetheart too, probably the sweetest girl I have met in a long time. She had a really good head on her shoulders, too,” Rizzi said. “I’ve watched all these kids all grow up, I’ve known Primo for 15 years, I probably met him when he was 9 or 10 years old.”
Primo had been working construction with the Kelson family lately, he said.
As a couple, the Nylands were the type “to give the shirt off their back to anyone, without any questions. In the public’s eye they were best friends, with a 24/7 smile on their face,” Rizzi said.
Dory Sarafin, owner of Domn8er Boats, said he met Russ Nyland four or more years ago.
“He was a fun guy, down to earth, easygoing, he would do anything for you … the man had a dream, he brought whole family (to Havasu), he was part of Hot Boat magazine and did own Sea Tow for a few years … (news of the shooting) was definitely very devastating,” Sarafin said.
Tamera West, former employer of survivor Debbi Nyland, said the Nylands have “been together since high school, were soul mates, and were just the nicest couple.”
The couple’s older son, Derek, who lives in Washington state, and daughter, Ashleigh, always preferred to spend time with their parents in addition to friends. The kids were not into drugs and were just really good smart kids, West said.
“(Ashleigh’s) boyfriend, Broc, was also very together. He had his own business or businesses and was really going somewhere … they were all full of life, fun, and always having a good time, just happy people,” West said. “And the fact that they were all so close, they were probably the closest knit family I have ever seen.”
West, of Wenatchee, Wash., employed Debbi Nyland for more than three years before they made the move to Havasu. At that time, the couple resided in Cashmere, Wash.
“You couldn’t ask for a better employee, but they left for a great opportunity to Lake Havasu, they ran a company that had to do with boats,” West said.
West said she could hardly believe the news surrounding her former employee and her losing her family.
“I am stunned. We are all stunned. We had people who were in tears … they were just a nice, good, hardworking, kind and generous family. They were just all fun and well liked,” West said. “It definitely is a loss, just a huge loss. And I think about the terror that she went through before she called 911, I just can’t imagine.”
You may contact the reporter at jhanson@havasunews.com.
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