Community Corner

Widow Faces Possible Eviction

The Seal Beach woman's world was turned on end when her husband was killed in the Salon Meritage shootings.

The widow of a man killed in the Seal Beach hair salon shooting is close to being forced out of her townhome, according to the Long Beach Press-Telegram.

Paula Caouette, whose then 64-year-old husband David was killed in the Salon Meritage shooting on Oct. 12, 2011, has little time to avoid eviction, said her son Paul Caouette.

Friends and family are trying to figure out how to buy the 65-year-old widow more time in the townhome she shared with her late husband, who was between jobs when he was killed while sitting in his car outside the salon on Pacific Coast Highway. David was the sole breadwinner, and apparently did not have a life insurance policy when he was killed, according to CBSLocal.

Paula Caouette would like to remain in the area for the duration of the trial, said her family. If she loses her townhome, the 65-year-old woman who works at Hallmark would probably move in with her son in Costa Mesa, he told the Orange County Register.

Scott Evans Dekraai is accused of shooting eight people in the worst mass shooting in Orange County history. Victoria Buzzo, 54; Randy Lee Fannin, 62; Michele Fast, 47; Michelle Fournier, 48; Lucia Kondas, 65; Laura Webb, 46; and Christy Lynn Wilson, 47, were killed along with David Caouette. Hattie Stretz, 73, the only survivor, was critically injured.

Given the turmoil and struggle his family has gone through, Paul Caouette said he and Paul Wilson, widower of Christy Wilson, plan to start a foundation to provide support to victims of shootings and their families, according to the Press-Telegram.

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An online campaign to raise donations for Paula Caouette's bid to stay in the Seal Beach townhome is at www.gofundme.com/64fwu8. So far, $11,000 has been collected, according to the Press-Telegram


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