Right to left, Guy LaFontaine's daughter Kandace Barton, son Eric LaFontaine and family friend William Young listen as Gail LaFontaine speaks to the court about her husband's death
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – Gail LaFontaine’s husband had been badly beaten.
The 58-year-old welder from Federal Way had broken ribs, broken eye sockets, a broken forearm and what a sheriff’s detective described as a shoe or boot print on his head.
After spending some five hours in the emergency room at Morton General Hospital, where they sewed up a gash in his head, Guy LaFontaine’s wife was given a CD, an appointment for the following Monday with a facial re-constructionist and hope, lots of hope.
Guy LaFontaine
The 60-year-old woman took her husband and headed home in the middle of the night to Federal Way, on the back roads, she said.
Her daughter Kandace Barton followed them. The three had been together at the Randle home of taxidermist Erik Massa.
“He said, ‘Gail, I’m hot’, and I rolled the window down,” Gail LaFontaine said of her ailing husband. “And he grabbed my thumb.”
“Then he said, ‘Gail, I’m cold’,” she said. She turned on the heat.
“He laid back and I thought, good, he’s resting,” she said. “And he squeezed my thumb.”
When they pulled off the freeway, her daughter rolled her car window down and said ‘Mom, I don’t think he’s moving right, we’re going to St. Francis (Hospital)”, according to Gail LaFontaine.
When they arrived at the hospital, her husband of some 30 years was dead.
Massa, 44, was charged with second-degree murder in the March 14, 2010 death.
Erik R. Massa
Under an arrangement formalized today, his case was pleaded down to second-degree assault and he was sentenced to as much as the judge could give someone with no criminal history – nine months in jail.
LaFontaine, who worked at Todd Shipyard in Seattle, was described in court today as a union representative so beloved, some of the Korean workers he assisted would literally bow to him and his wife.
Lewis County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Brad Meagher told a judge this afternoon there were no marks on the defendant; it was not a neutral fight.
“This is a particularly brutal beating, and there seems to be no reason for it,” Meagher said.
However, Meagher said, the pathologist who conducted the autopsy suggested LaFontaine’s death involved the altercation as well as heart disease and diabetes.
“And for whatever reason, Mr. LaFontaine was either forced to go or checked out of the hospital,” Meagher said.
Meagher said he would have had a hard time proving the cause of death at trial. Also, one witness has died and a significant piece of evidence had been suppressed – a broken shotgun found in a silo on Massa’s property, according to Meagher.
The standard sentencing range for second-degree assault is three to nine months in jail. Meagher recommended nine months. Defense attorney Chris Baum recommended three months.
Lewis County Superior Court Judge James Lawler chose nine months and ordered the defendant to be evaluated – and treated if necessary- for drug and alcohol abuse.
Massa spoke in court to the judge and his father-in-law’s family saying it is a family tragedy he will live with for the rest of his life.
“I did love him and I’m very sorry for what happened,” Massa said.
He admitted only to punching his father-in-law in the ribs.
Almost an hour was spent listening to family tell the judge what the sentence should be and addressing Massa, who wouldn’t look at the speakers.
Gail LaFontaine accused him of beating to death a crippled old man.
“My life is over, it’s done,” she said.
She held a photo of her smiling husband up and spoke of how much her husband adored his son-in-law.
All a person would have to do to get Guy LaFontaine to back off is remove his glasses, Massa was told.
“Erik, you’re getting out in nine months and I have terminal cancer,” she said. “You’re coming with me.”
Massa was told when one of Guy LaFontaine’s daughters heard the “worst news ever, she thought it would be her sister” – Massa’s wife who was dead.
The details of what occurred at the 11,000 block of U.S. Highway 12 in Randle won’t be heard in a trial, but bit and pieces emerged during the hearing today.
Defense attorney Baum told the judge his client didn’t hit Guy LaFontaine over the head with a shotgun.
“LaFontaine grabbed that shotgun, pointed it at my client and threatened to kill him,” Baum said. “My client wrestled the shotgun away and took it and broke it.”
There were allegations both men had been drinking.
Massa’s wife spoke of her husband’s drinking problem, and said she, her husband and both her parents were at the property that night.
It was all over the farm, it wasn’t just one spot, there was blood everywhere,” Barton said.
She described the trauma of seeing her father laying on the taxidermy shop floor, his face is smashed, and her “holding the blood in the back of his head.”
She persuaded her husband to leave, so she could get away with her toddler, she said. She wondered if they would get out alive, she told the judge.
“To know my husband is going to out in nine months and mad at me for doing this, that’s even scarier,” she said.
Massa will be subject to 18 months community custody after his release, $1,800 in financial obligations, and 10-year no contact orders with his wife and mother-in-law.
Barton filed for divorce shortly after her father died.
Massa took only one brief look toward his father-in-law’s family as he was handcuffed and led out of the courtroom.
Exactly the circumstances under which Guy LaFontaine was discharged from Morton General Hospital aren’t clear.
“It’s very sad the hospital in Morton let him leave,” defense attorney Baum said.
A sheriff’s deputy who had gone to the emergency room that night noted Guy LaFontaine’s substantial injuries, and later was notified by the hospital they couldn’t keep LaFontaine in his bed so they were releasing him.
Gail LaFontaine, who said the emergency room had lined up a LifeFlight at one point that night, characterized it this way: The doctor told her husband, “Guy, I’m tired of f-ing with you, get out.”
The King County Medical Examiner’s Office listed Guy Lafontaine’s death as a homicide caused by blunt force injuries to his head, torso and extremities.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
I did 49 months in prison for making violent gang members leave a party when I was 17, i was charged with 2° assult. This guy gets to beat mine and my father’s best friend to death and gets 2° assult and 9 months in a county jail. I’m sorry Guy I wish I didn’t have so much good going on in my life these days or I’d volunteer for my own 9 month sentence.
Lewis County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Brad Meagher only hands out. County time as long as you beat the person to death. Remember that.
TR Leary said it best, that Guy was all heart.
I don’t know how many decades I knew and worked with Guy. He was the head shop steward for the largest union there. His well deserved reputation was for his heart, his caring and his diplomacy. I have never seen him drunk, so cannot speak to that.
However the Job of Chief Shop Steward carries with it alot of pressure and I NEVER saw him lose his cool. I was also a Shop Steward under Guy.
Not to say that things didn’t get to him, he was a very caring person, but I never saw him lash out at anyone and so his integrity and his love of people where what he is recognized for.
Members of my family were among his close friends.
I am proud to have been associated with him and I am sure hundreds of Todd Shipyard workers will say the same thing.
Ow but wait one more thing.
How about this one Jennifer Groberg Erik Massa’s divorce attrny from the office of Mano, Mckerricher & Paroutaud.
Jennifer Groberg called the Federal Way Police (THE BEST POLICE), shortly after the Homicide of my Father Guy Lafontaine.
Jennifer Groberg called Federal Way police stating that there was on going HEROIN us in her home. Nice job at second hand harrasment. My daughter and my self were not even living with my mother.
Is this typical practice of a family law attrny. To harrass a grieving widow, that is not even part of her case????
nice hu
Good job jennifer groberg my Mother did not deserve that, and there are NO GROUNDS FOR THOSE ACCUSATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!
Anybody out ther find that WRONG to do such a thing????
My last response was not meant as it sounds.
I do know there are GOOD people in L.C.
OMFG,
Your statement from Jan. 8th indicating prosecutor and Erik’s attorney are good friends thank you for your imformation.
I am sure the good people of L.C. (THE ONES WITH A FEW CELLS LEFT) would like to know that.
NOW IT MAKES SENSE.
I wish we would have known this before trial or sentencing, we would have expected this outcome as it sounds like you knew the outcome.
Good Job OMFG
Excuse my miss spelling, I should wakeup first:>
I sure wish Don Diemert had told the police the TRUTH, instead of just telling his friend’s the truth. I appreciate you coming forward with the TRUE STORY. I believe that the DETECTIVES, AND PROSECUTORS, told you to mind your own business. They did the same to me, and I witnessed and stopped the bruital beating, and torture etc.
Thats what this whole thing.
NOBODY DID THERE JOBS CORRECT AS TO THIER TITLES………
detectives, prosecutors, commisiners, ow and let not forget judges.
Evidence like my truck being thrown out, and a shot gun with GUY LaFontaine’s blood all over it.
Now how can that be??
We would all LOOSE our jobs but not the special people of lewis county.
Special folks watch out for your elected officials its really scarry..
especially if you new the whole truth like myself and my MOTHER.
GOOD JOB ONCE AGAIN Lewis County. no respect face your maker
You’re right! Carl’s brother was murdered and Lewis County indicated it was suicide – just like Rhonda Reynolds. And look, those incidents were way back. It’s customary down there for “authorities” to take the lazy easy road. F’N jerkwads!!
BUT CAN ANYBODY PROOVE IT……
NOT IN LEWIS COUNTY ……..
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HELP L.C.
2-YEARS AND STILL NO DIVORCE OR JUSTCE
Just like the book WRITTEN by Carl Crane
THE PLACE TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
READ IT………..
.
In 9 months, if something happens to Kandace or Gail… I’ll bet I know who did it…
i have lost a great friend and will miss him for a long time .we worked hard long hours together and still he could always keep me laughing .i am pissed off at the lewis county courts for not nailing his butt to the wall but perhaps hell is his punishment .we all love you guy and i know you are always there for us thank you for the friendship and always being there see you soon your friend bill ketchum
notsumdombass / bill s.
email me kandace71@live.com
And the question about what kind of hospital will let someone leave with life threatening injuries..and it was not a case of LETTING him leave. The “good ole’ boy hospital”….Morton Morgue.
Having known both Eric and Kandace for about 7 years… He is the biggest piece of shit I have ever met, and I am very, very sorry for the loss of Kandaces Father and her Daughters Grandfather. If I had known about the court date, I would have been there to support her. I should have went hunting with him when he offered, and hung out with them more, when that was offered. Maybe I could have helped her escape him before this happened. I believe he beat Kandaces father, no doubt about it. And the way Kandace was treated by alot of his friends,,(LOCALS IN RANDLE)… Well, lets just say that Karma will get you. Kandace is a good person, lured into a bad situation. I hope he gets what he has coming to him soon.
Looks like I’m going to have to join the group on facebook!!!!
@Bill, when theres any type of crime committed,or if somethings posted in the news or on t.v.then its everyones business and you and the rest of us can ask any questions we want,now we might not get any or a lil answers but we have to keep digging til we are satisified. if you have facebook,..you might want to join the Lewis Co.sirens page there,its ran by Brittany Voie AND Sharon Decker who brings us the late breaking news there,and we are allowed to comment how we feel thought we try not to attack anyone personally,but you might like it,,we get as Sharon would say”spirited”lol
I am horrible trying to load a message on this forum with my droid. Sorry about my mistakes and misspellings. I try to talk to it and then edit the mistakes. But I look back and see that I did not do a good job. And once it is posted you can not fix it.
And basically to but out and let them do their work. They said that don was not there which I was not sure about. They said that anything eric told him after the fact what circumstantial evidence and could not be used in court which I did not believe.
I did contact him and the district attorney after that. I had them and on them and don deimert pissed off at me and of course eric. Everybody told me to mind my own business. I told them that murder is everybody’s business.
I never got totally straight answers from don. So I don’t know what really happened there is an afternoon.
My condolences to the family.
1 last thing. I did not read the article about guy’s injuries until september after guy died. Before that I never thought too much about this. I asked don diemert about this because I remember him telling me he was there that afternoon.
He told me it was “horrible” and that eric just “snapped” and continued to beat and stomp this guy after he was down. He also said that if he had not “edited” what he said to the police eric would still be in jail.
I told him that he had to tell the police the whole truth about this. I contacted the detective and told him that he should re interview don. They eventually told me that they new much more about this than I did
I AGREE WITH ARE YOU KIDDING ME. IF THIS WAS MY HUSBAND, FATHER, OR ANY OF MY FAMILY I WILL BE BITCHING TO THE POINT THAT THEY WOULD NOT LIKE ME. I WOULD NEVER LEAVE UNTIL I GET WHAT IS THE BEST FOR MY FAMILY. WHY GO ALL THE WAY TO FEDERAL WAY THERE ARE AT LEAST 8 HOSPITALS BETWEEN HERE AND FEDERAL WAY. SOME PEOPLE ARE NOT THINKING OR GET AN AMBULANCE TO YOUR HOSPITAL THAT YOU WANT.
i dont know any of the parties involved,all i know is a murderer will be walking the streets in 9 months ,less for good behavior,and thats screwed up! because Mr,Massa will do it again as he got away with it this time! i am sad that Guy’s widow has terminal cancer but i do love that she said”when i go,im taking you with me”referring to Mr,Massa,,if i was him,i would get the hell out of town when released!!!!!!!!
Gail had called me to write a letter for the judge. I have the prosecutors email and wrote him as well as a long letter I gave Candace and Gail with multiple signatures from the yard that Gail had. I have a short email from the prosecutor with a short explanation why he couldn’t go for a more serious charge. I still have the text Guy sent me the day he went to Randall with his hip in serious pain. He told me he was going to confront Erik about abuse to his granddaughter and Candy. Next thing I knew Gail called me and told me Guy was dead. I will never understand why Gail just didn’t call 911. Guy and I were like brothers and I met with him every morning to discuss and go over grievances. I loved him and will always miss him deeply. He was a beautiful person all of us that knew him will always remember. Erik will get his Karma!
Guy, you are missed. Our shop steward, our great friend. So many great memories.
To the family know that we care and always will. Guy wasn’t just a boilermaker, he was the great caregiver. The big shoulder.
Shame and woe to the killer, your name is worthless, your soul vile. Rest in peace old friend. God speed.
Sorry about my misspellings and mistakes. I’m not too handy with my droid.
Anyway I had several conversations and email exchanges with both the prosecutor and detectives trying to get more action in this case.
Kandace I am not saying that I believed what he was spreading. But he was telling everyone he knew what a horrible and crazy person that his wife was. Also defaming her family likewise in order to justify his actions. And that he just made a “mistake”. And there were people that were taken by that.
When I first met him I never thought too much about what you done. I thought it was some sort of self defense. But when I read about guy’s injuries I knew that this was an ugly beating.
I had several conversations with don diemert about. this. I actually called the sheriff detective and ask them to reinterview him. They said he was not an eyewitness. I was not sure about that.
To Humm… says:
Thank you for the reminder. I followed the election of Meyer and ousting of Golden and predicted this outcome based on the fact that Massa’s atty and Meyer followed one another on Twitter and are friends on facebook. Meagher said the atty is the best in the county. Must be the reason he gave in and didnt even bother to fight for what is right.
My question still remains……what doctor/hospital would reease a person in such condition? If he was drinking he is unable to make a clear decision, therefor why wasn’t his wife able to make the choice to make him stay, and why was he not life flighted out? And is anything being done about Morton Hospital and there roll in this? The doctor on call should be responsible also or at least held accountable. Just saying if this was my husband…he wouldn’t have left that building and if the doctor was making statemenys as where stated …tired of fn around with him, well then I would have demanded life flieght or my husband to be taken by ambulance to another hospital. Just curious as to whom the er doctor was,cause I know in a very serious situation I was very mistreated by a doctor to the point I thought my son was going to beat his ass right hen and there….Just wondering if it could be the same doctor….I wont state his name just call him Dr. F , and even the nurses complain about his treatment of patients and themselves.
Guy Lafontaine was a presence in Todd Shipyard. A shining light for many of his co-workers and he is greatly missed.
It is a sad state of affairs that a person can be beat to death and justice misses the mark. But…unfortunately this is the justice system we have.
What can give you peace is to know that each and every day the killer will see his acts and wonder if tomorrow will be the day new evidence surfaces. A private hell that can never be truly forgotten.
And judgement by a higher power will come continuing that hell.
George you are correct unwilling is the word but unskilled is the FACT.
To our family at Todd’s
Thank you for all your support and sorry that the good old boy system of Lewis County denied you your right to speak and defend my father Guy LaFontaine. We were given to short of notice and I believe thats is what L.C. wanted. Afraid of all you real men and women..Be Proud.
He told everyone he knew that we are drug addicts…
That’s news to me.
Bill can be more imformative as to the drugs we use?
We are unable to locate said drugs…:> hahahahaha
B.S. your statement sounds as if you know more than the police.
Do you care to share the rest of your STORY?
Well it is too bad that we will not know the full truth of the matter. Don Diemert (now deceased) had been at Massa’s shop with Massa and Guy Fontaine that afternoon. He stated that he went there to take a Banjo or some type of musical instument for Fontaine to evaluate.
He said the Fontaine was drunk and in a hostile mood and told him his instrument was a piece of crap and threatened to break it. He said that he left after that. The Lewis county sheriff’s detectives said that he wasn’t a eye witness, but I was never too sure about that. Massa and he were friends and Don didn’t like the cops much and seemed to know a lot about this so I suspected that he was there.
Don said that Massa then came to his place after the altercation and told him that he got into a physical altercation with Fontaine. Don said that Massa “snapped” and in a rage continued to beat and stomp him.
Massa told everyone he knew that his wife and her whole family were drug addicts and that Fontaine was verbally abusive and started the fight and that he “made a mistake” by continuing to beath him when he was down. A lot of people in the valley believed it and continued to associate with him.
He didn’t want to plead to manslaughter earlier because a felony charge would not allow him to seek custody of his daughter. I take it that second degree assault is not a felony conviction.
The prosecutor’s case was very weak because of all the extenuating circumstances, so they probably did about the best they could with this.
It looks like Massa has lost his business and property. six months (with good behavior) in the Lewis County jail, which I am told is one of the worst, will be no picnic, but it doesn’t seem enough for taking a man’s life unnecessarily.
When you have a situation like he had, the best course of action is to walk a way and call 9-11. That’s what the cops are for. Too many people think they are tough. Once something goes physical anything might happen include somebody ending up dead.
Great job reporting Sharyn!
On behalf of all is Brother’s and Sisters that worked with Guy at Todd Shipyard in Seattle. we are saddened with the loss of such a great man in Guy Lafontaine.He will always be remembered for his big heart. He was just protecting his family that night, he was always sticking up for the ones’ he cared for. He would of been retired from the shipyards if he was still living, playing with that darling grandaughter.His family will always have the Todd guy’s to lean on and ask for help. ~His killer will always be just that no more no less. Great article Sharyn Decker, thanks for your coverage of this tradgic ending of a life. God Bless The Lafontaine Family ~Rest in Peace Guy.
OMFG:
Golden is not the prosecutor. Jonathan Meyer is.
Sometimes it would be better to take the case to trial and loose, rather than accept a plea to such a weak conviction. Perhaps Meyer consulted with the family, and they agreed with this tact.
Ps. Massa is also a liar.
George, astute observation. Meagher lies and Golden is unworthy of the position he holds. I feel bad for the people in Lewis County. These are the ones chosen to protect you? Good luck. Meagher nor Golden or anybody else from Lewis County ever contacted the King County Medical Examiner’s Office. And the fact that the victim had hypertension, diabetes, etc., had NOTHING to go with the Homicide or manor of death. Feel free to check the facts “gentlemen”. Again, they lie.
Let me see if I understand this correctly:
If the prosecutor goes for a first degree murder conviction and the defense attorney can prove that the cause of death was not conclusively linked to Massa, Massa walks out a free man.
If the defendant agrees to a plea of second degree assault then he get locked up.
Tough call. There is no winner although I think Massa got off WAY too easy on this, even though it was a first offense.
This makes me SICK to my STOMACHE!!! How pathetic!! And what a slap in the face to family of the deceased!! Sorry Lewis County but this time u r a JOKE!!! My only hope is that Karma gets this disgusting pile of manure since the justice system failed so terribly!!!
Thats kinda what I was thinking George.
The Lewis County Prosecutor said he would have had a hard time making it stick in court… meaning he was either unable to do so, or was unwilling to do so. I would lean towards the second one.
this is BS he killed some one and he gets 9 MONTHS
Thats F****d up, I was curious how Don (the witness who is deceased) testimony may have played out, had he not been killed in that wreck.
I met his family back in august while finalizing the estate, I never asked and they never said.