[MO] Dana Ison's police officer husband quit his job, shot her mother, killed Dana, then killed himself

Dana Thompson-Ison

Dana Thompson-Ison's husband Landon quit his 9-year Lamar Missouri police officer job in August of 2012 by just not showing up. Both his friend - Barton County Sheriff Mitchell Shaw, and Landon's boss - Lamar Police Chief Ron Hager, say they didn't pry by asking Landon Ison why he didn't report for work. 2 months later, on October 9th 2012, Landon Ison shot and killed his wife Dana, shot and critically wounded her mother Cheryl Thompson, then left the home with his shotgun and shot and killed himself. Landon and Dana Ison have two sons and yes, they were present at the home at the time of Dana and Cheryl's shooting.

WHERE

COULD

DANA AND CHERYL

HAVE 

TURNED

FOR

HELP?

CHIEF HAGER:
...said Ison had offered no explanation for failing to report in August, thus relinquishing his job, and that Hager had not asked for one...

CHIEF HAGER:
...said Ison was a good officer in the more than nine years he served on the Lamar police force...

SHERIFF SHAW:
...“because of the close personal relationships we all had with Officer Ison”...

SHERIFF SHAW:
...said he was aware that his friend had quit his job with the Lamar police. He said Ison never told him why, and he chose not to force the issue by asking... 

SHERIFF SHAW:
...said he was strongly affected by the events because he went to both death scenes and that he and his family "have known the Isons forever. "This is a terrible surprise, a terrible thing... It was a friendship"...

SHERIFF SHAW:
...acknowledged being a close friend of the couple, said he did not necessarily know all that was going on in their relationship...

Dana, never forgotten

Dana Ison worked at AOK Youth Development Services, an organization that works with under-privileged children... 

...Dana graduated from Pittsburg State College with her Bachelor’s Degree in Social Services and later received her Master’s Degree in Social Services from Missouri State University. She was a social worker for About Our Kids Youth Development Services in Lamar and director of After School care... [LINK]

...Dana was the Director Social Worker for the About Our Kids Youth Development, Director of After School Care and PEP Coordinator in Lamar, Missouri. She always enjoyed working with and helping children... [LINK]

I invite those who pray

to keep Cheryl's recovery,

the Ison children,
and everyone brokenhearted
by this
in your hearts

and on your list. 

Memorial contributions may be made to the Ison Children Fund at Metropolitan Bank, 1105 Gulf, Lamar, Mo. 64759

FORMER LAMAR POLICEMAN INVOLVED IN MURDER-SUICIDE; MOTHER-IN-LAW HAS LIFE THREATENING INJURIES [LINK]
koamtv.com
October 9, 2012
12:11 PM CST:
Authorities are investigating an overnight shooting death in southwest Missouri. The Missouri Highway Patrol is leading the investigation of a shooting outside of Lamar shortly after 1 a.m...
1:50 PM CST:
The Missouri Highway Patrol confirms two people are dead and another person is in critical condition at a Springfield hospital. A press conference is scheduled for 2 p.m...
3:10 PM CST:
A former Lamar policeman has shot and killed his wife [Dana Ison], shot and injured his mother-in-law [Cheryl Thompson], then shot and killed himself... It's unclear why Thompson was at the home but she went to get help from neighbors who called 911 before 1 a.m... Landon Ison's body was found at a different location at about 2:30 a.m.  Authorities say he shot himself with a rifle. In August Landon Ison resigned from the Lamar Police Department, but authorities say he just stopped coming to work. Landon and Dana Ison had two children.  They were at the home at the time of the shooting but were not injured are currently with family...  While the couple was still married, that had separated earlier in October. Dana Ison worked at AOK, an organization that works with under-privileged children
5:15 PM CST:
Statement released by Kathy Jenkins, AOK Board of Directors President: "Dana Thompson Ison was a beloved friend, coworker, daughter, sister and mother. She was an invaluable member of the AOK family as a social worker and school-age program coordinator. She also led the mentoring program and offered counseling and assistance to anyone in need. She loved the children and they loved her. She was passionate about making a difference in their lives and she did. Words cannot express our sorrow at her passing"...

WHERE

COULD

DANA AND CHERYL

HAVE 

TURNED

FOR

HELP?

Lamar Police Officer Landon Ison

ONLINE FIRST: FORMER LAMAR POLICEMAN SUSPECTED IN APPARENT MURDER-SUICIDE
Nevada Daily Mail
By James R. Campbell
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
[Excerpts] A somber panel of law enforcement officers announced Tuesday afternoon that a former Lamar city policeman was suspected of shooting his estranged wife to death, seriously wounding his mother-in-law and then driving to a remote area of Barton County before turning his rifle on himself about 90 minutes later. Landon Ison, 32, a member of the Lamar Police Department for 9 1/2 years until inexplicably failing to report for duty Aug. 7, was found near his blue Ford Explorer by a Barton County deputy sheriff about 2:30 a.m., Tuesday. Reading from preliminary reports, Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Mike Watson said the man was suspected of going to his 33-year-old wife Dana's home about 6 1/2 miles southwest of here shortly before 1 a.m., Tuesday, and shooting her to death. Flanked by Barton County Sheriff Mitchell Shaw and Lamar Chief of Police Ron Hager, Watson said Ison was also suspected of shooting his mother-in-law, 67-year-old Cheryl Thompson of Springfield, who was airlifted to Cox South Hospital in her hometown. Watson said Thompson was listed in serious condition... Cheryl Thompson had managed to walk to a neighbor's house after she was shot and that the neighbor called 9-1-1... The Isons' two juvenile boys were in the home when their mother and grand-mother were shot... Watson declined to say what type of rifle was believed to be the murder-suicide weapon, how many times Mrs. Ison and her mother were shot or what room of the house the shootings were believed to have taken place in. Hager said Ison had offered no explanation for failing to report in August, thus relinquishing his job, and that Hager had not asked for one... The chief said Dana Ison had worked for AOK Youth Development Services in Lamar... Shaw said he was strongly affected by the events because he went to both death scenes and that he and his family "have known the Isons forever. "This is a terrible surprise, a terrible thing," the sheriff said. "Everyone knows the family. They're hard-working, good people. It was a friendship"... [Full article here]

WHERE

COULD

DANA AND CHERYL

HAVE 

TURNED

FOR

HELP?

FORMER LAMAR OFFICER KILLS WIFE, WOUNDS MOTHER-IN-LAW; EX-POLICEMAN TAKES OWN LIFE
The Joplin Globe
By Jeff Lehr news@joplinglobe.com
October 9, 2012
[Excerpts] Landon L. Ison never offered a reason for abruptly quitting his job as a Lamar police officer two months ago. He moved out of the house he shared with his wife and two sons at the start of this month. Then shortly before 1 a.m. Tuesday, emergency responders were called to the troubled family’s home about a mile southwest of Lamar after Ison reportedly shot and killed his wife, Dana I. Ison, 33, and critically wounded her mother, Cheryl J. Thompson, 67... [Lamar police Chief Ron] Hager said Ison was a good officer in the more than nine years he served on the Lamar police force since being hired in January 2003. Before that, he had served as a dispatcher with the Barton County Sheriff’s Department... Barton County Sheriff Mitchell Shaw said he asked the state patrol to serve as the lead investigative agency in the shootings “because of the close personal relationships we all had with Officer Ison”... Landon Ison filed for divorce in January. Court records indicate that Ison and his wife both submitted parenting plans to the court. But the record shows that the case was dismissed by both parties on July 11. Shaw, who acknowledged being a close friend of the couple, said he did not necessarily know all that was going on in their relationship. “Whenever I was around, they seemed to have a good relationship,” Shaw said... The sheriff said he was aware that his friend had quit his job with the Lamar police. He said Ison never told him why, and he chose not to force the issue by asking... Dana Ison worked for AOK Youth Development Services. Kathy Jenkins, president of AOK’s board of directors, released a statement praising her contributions as a social worker and school-age program coordinator. “She loved the children and they loved her,” the statement read. “She was passionate about making a difference in their lives and she did. Words cannot express our sorrow at her passing”... The Lamar Police chief and the Barton County sheriff said there have been no previous reports of domestic violence involving Ison and his wife. [Full article here]

AND REALLY?

THE SHERIFF AND CHIEF

DIDN'T KNOW,
THEY DIDN'T ASK,
THEY DIDN'T TRY,
THEY WON'T ADMIT?
IT DOESN'T
MAKE SENSE. 

JANUARY 2008 CASEWORKER OF THE MONTH DANA ISON
Adoption Exchange Association
Pittsburg, Kansas
We have been lucky enough to have the same worker, Dana Ison, thru all of our adoptions. We are about to finalize our 2nd and 3rd adoptions next month. We have known Dana for over 4 years now. She has always made her self available to anything we need or want. She is always friendly and offers whatever support we need at anytime, and makes time for us no matter what, even if we just need to talk to someone. Dana is great at getting in contact with our children’s workers, when we need or want something and are unable to get in contact with them ourselves. Our children all look forward to visits with her, even our oldest who at one time had a great fear of caseworkers. After some struggles we have witnessed with other families and their workers, we know we are truly blessed to have been given Dana, and hope that with our next adoption we will be able to work with her... [LINK]

TOPIX EXCERPTS  [LINK]
Posted in the Independence Forum

...Statement released by Kathy Jenkins, AOK Board of Directors President: "Dana Thompson Ison was a beloved friend, coworker, daughter, sister and mother. She was an invaluable member of the AOK family as a social worker and school-age program coordinator. She also led the mentoring program and offered counseling and assistance to anyone in need. She loved the children and they loved her. She was passionate about making a difference in their lives and she did. Words cannot express our sorrow at her passing"...

...Dana used to babysit my son and daughter during summer breaks! I never had to worry about my children in her care! She was the sweetest girl! My kids loved her! She will be greatly missed! Prayers go out to Cheryl and the family!...

...Barton County Sheriff Mitchell Shaw said he asked the state patrol to serve as the lead investigative agency in the shootings “because of the close personal relationships we all had with Officer Ison”...

...Does anyone know Cheryls condition?...

...My thoughts and prayers go out to the family, especially those precious boys. Also praying for a full recovery for Cheryl. So very tragic and so so sad...

...wondering if anyone knows how Cheryl is doing? lets continue to pray for her and all this family...

...Cheryl is in a medical induced coma. They have reapplied her tongue and inserted a feeding tube. They plan to ship her to St. Louis for reconstructive surgery. Cheryl graduated from IHS in 63. Beautiful person both inside and out. Please everyone pray for the family as well as Cheryl. Going to be a long haul...

...Dana's service will be Tuesday the 23rd. Please coninue to pray for Cheryl...

...I agree Cheryl is one of the nicest people you could ever meet. I am praying for her and family...

...Thank you so much for the updates on Cheryl. Since many of us do not want to intrude on the family's privacy during these extreme times, it is great that we can be informed about Cheryl and her recovery. Please tell her family many friends and coworkers from Standard Motors think of her and pray for the family daily. Again thanks so much for keeping us informed and God Bless.

EXCERPTS FROM FACEBOOK POSTS:

We have a long road ahead of us. But you guys along with our friends have been our rock. I cant explain, dont have answers as to why this happened...

...She is off the vent. Waking up more...

...Update on Cheryl: she made it thru her first surgery with no problem. They fixed her boned around eyes, cheek, and face. Put metal plates in where needed...

...Cheryls doing great. Alert, awake, writing sentences on paper. She will be moved out of the ICU today to an observation room. Surgery next week will be major. They r building her a jaw/cheek bone...

...These past couple of weeks have made me look at life differently. PLEASE tell ur loved ones that u love them every day. Dont take them for granted. If u fight, make up b4 you leave or go to bed. You never know if its ur last day on earth. God bless!...

...Update on Cheryl: she made it thru her 12 hr reconstructive surgery without difficulty. They were even able to do some skin grafting...

...Cheryl is finally waking up since her 12hr surgery on Wednesday. She is doing good... She is writing up a storm!...

...Cheryl continues to progress well. She is awake and alert. Has been up in her chair. Skin graft is taking. She is well aware of things... I ask for continued prayers for the family...

...Cheryl continues to progress well. She is truely a miracle. She is a woman of faith...
[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence ipv abuse law enforcement public safety lethal fatality fatalities murder suicide missouri state politics relatives children child abuse]