Even in prisons, there is a hierarchy where inmates are judged on the heinous nature of their crimes and in particular their victims.
Somewhere on the low end of the scale for criminal rankings is the “obituary burglar.” These vilest of the vile use death notices in local papers and online to target those who are left behind after a loved one dies.
Some plan their burglaries to when the families will be attending funerals and burial services. Others target the addresses of those who are newly deceased and, like vultures, swoop down on their former dwellings to see what they may steal.
One such obituary burglar met their end last week in Henderson, Nevada. And while we do not celebrate anyone’s passing, a dose of universal justice was apparently meted out in this one case.
This particular incident involved 38-year-old Dylan Gall. The suspect was on parole after doing time for drugs, theft, and even child abuse.
A 93-year-old man in the town recently passed away, and Gall allegedly saw this as an opportunity to cash in on the deceased’s belongings. The homeowner’s 61-year-old son found Gall in the residence at 2 a.m., and shots were fired.
Gall did not make it far. The encounter began in the guest bedroom, and the alleged burglar made it only to the kitchen before succumbing to his multiple wounds.
Henderson police announced that the son will not face charges in the shooting, as it was clearly in defense of life and property. Neighbors told authorities that the home had been burglarized just the day before, though it is now certain that the suspect will not be invading the homes of any other residents, deceased or otherwise.
Neighbors in Henderson, which is near Las Vegas, told reporters that they were concerned about their safety after a string of burglaries and the most recent incident. They declined to go on record with their names for fear of being targeted for the next crime.
This is a good time to remind residents that there are proactive steps that may be taken to greatly decrease one’s chances of being the victim of a violent crime. As Jonathan Alvarez of Crime Stoppers of Nevada recommended, homeowners should step up in protecting themselves.
“We always support having an alarm system, with some sort of response, that could notify you on your phone if there’s an intrusion.” His recommendation included checking to ensure windows are locked, making sure the area around your home is lighted, and becoming familiar with your neighbors.”
All sound advice.
Alvarez added that “the goal is to make it as difficult as possible for criminals to get inside, and sometimes people overlook some of the smallest aspects so much as looking at a front door or locking a garage door.”
Again, these are all great considerations that should be followed.
However, there is one glaringly obvious one that should be at the top of the list. Homeowners should be legally armed, trained, and ready to always defend life and property against intruders.
As this case showed, lacking the highly unlikely immediate police presence at the time of the burglary or other attack, there is no substitute for an armed and ready civilian. The deceased man’s son had no way of knowing he would be involved in a violent encounter, but he was prepared.
Anti-gun zealots and their political partners would prefer that victims either cower in the corner waiting for assistance that may not come or run terrified out of the nearest door.
Most of us, however, are just not wired that way.
Responsible gun owners are the first and best line of defense against these vile criminals. Anyone who would use obituary notices to target victims has no decency and no qualms about escalating a violent encounter. This man’s son was ready, and as a matter of choice, did not become just another victim.
