RYAN – Authorities arrested a Ryan woman after they say she shot and killed her husband at their home late Sunday evening.
Revette A. Sauser, 42, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of 59-year-old Terry L. Sauser.
Deputies were sent to the Sauser home at 420 South St. around 8:30 p.m. after a 911 call that a person had been shot. They found that Terry Sauser had been shot in the chest and was in critical condition.
Sheriff John LeClere said Terry Sauser was shot in the living room of the home and was unconscious but alive when authorities arrived. He died in an ambulance on the way to a hospital.
Court documents filed Monday said Revette Sauser “fired one shot from a .380 handgun into the chest of her husband, Terry Sauser.”
Terry Sauser was a volunteer firefighter in Ryan and was the owner of the 5 Alarm Store, a gas station in Ryan. LeClere also knew him personally, and said the tiny town is “shocked.”
“He and his family have been in business in Ryan for years and years and years,” LeClere said. “That’s why he was so well-known.”
Investigators have not said why the shooting took place, but the accused shooter did put her thoughts on a social media website.
Revette Sauser posted several comments on Facebook about the recent death of her father, and alluded to “fighting” among family that followed. In another post on March 9, she complained about a comment she said her husband made.
“Not Understanding Why A Husband Has The Right To, tell Her what she can and cant wear…Dress up to make myself feel good about myself, and My husband thinks i had a Hot Date…..Whats Up with this Im not understanding this….,” Sauser wrote.
Nine days earlier, she wrote: “well well well I guess you might want to say I’m home….But not for long. Im going back to Illions to Live…..It sucks here, Husband dont understand whats doing on, it takes two to tangle and two to break it……I.’m tired of fighting all th etime, im getting up there in age, I want to be happy, and right now I’m not…..”
LeClere said he was not aware of any calls to the Sauser residence for domestic issues before Sunday.
One resident in the tiny town of 362 people didn’t know of any family trouble.
“I can’t believe it, especially of him, he was a pretty good egg,” James Starr said.
But another close neighbor, who knew both, described one personal run-in with the accused shooter.
“She was just kind of hot-headed. She’d cuss me out a few times for things I didn’t even do. I told her off and she let me alone after that and she’d even say ‘good morning’ and ‘hi’ after that,” Harold Kelchen said.
An obituary provided by the family said Terry Sauser worked at AEGON in Cedar Rapids. But community members knew him better as the operator of the hardware, convenience and liquor stores businesses located along Highway 13. Neighbors said Rivette Sauser worked at the store as well. Rivette Sauser was also a member of the volunteer fire department along with her husband.
During an initial appearance Monday, bond was set at $1-million dollars cash. Sauser’s next court appearance on the first degree murder charges is now set for April 11th. However, preliminary hearings are normally waived when the county attorney files what’s called trial information.
Memorial Services for Terry Sauser are set for 11:00 a.m. Thursday, April 7, 2011 at Peace Lutheran Church in Ryan. Visitation will be one hour prior to the start of services at the church.
Updated at 10:23 a.m. with comments from Sheriff John LeClere
Updated at 9:32 a.m. with mug
RYAN – Authorities arrested a Ryan woman after they say she shot and killed her husband at their home late Sunday.
Revette Sauser
Revette A. Sauser, 42, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of 59-year-old Terry L. Sauser, according to the Delaware County sheriff’s office.
Deputies were sent to the Sauser home at 420 South St. around 8:30 p.m. after a 911 call that a person had been shot. They found that Terry Sauser had been shot in the chest and was in critical condition.
Sheriff John LeClere said Terry Sauser was shot in the living room of the home and was unconscious but alive when authorities arrived. He died in an ambulance on the way to a hospital.
Terry Sauser was a volunteer firefighter in Ryan and was the owner of the 5 Alarm Store, a gas station in Ryan. LeClere also knew him personally, and said the tiny town is “shocked.”
“He and his family have been in business in Ryan for years and years and years,” LeClere said. “That’s why he was so well-known.”
Revette Sauser posted several comments on Facebook about the recent death of her father, and alluded to “fighting” among family that followed. In another post on March 9, she complained about a comment she said her husband made.
“Not Understanding Why A Husband Has The Right To, tell Her what she can and cant wear…Dress up to make myself feel good about myself, and My husband thinks i had a Hot Date…..Whats Up with this Im not understanding this….,” Sauser wrote.
Nine days earlier, she wrote: “well well well I guess you might want to say I’m home….But not for long. Im going back to Illions to Live…..It sucks here, Husband dont understand whats doing on, it takes two to tangle and two to break it……I.’m tired of fighting all th etime, im getting up there in age, I want to be happy, and right now I’m not…..”
LeClere said he was not aware of any calls to the Sauser residence for domestic issues before Sunday.
The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation was assisting the sheriff’s office with the investigation.
Ryan, population 362, is 36 miles northeast of Cedar Rapids.