Wildlife Officer Margaret E. "Peggy" Park

Going from the top to the bottom of this write up: Officer Peggy Park did not cite a poacher. Peggy had just issued citation to a man burning copper wire in the same area, he was later a witness. Peggy did not hear gunshots, she observed the headlights of a van going into the undeveloped subdivision and suspected night hunting. There were deer in the area. Peggy was pushed down over her veh seat and beaten with her flashlight by Martin Grossman. Peggy managed to take her 357 call service weapon from its holster. Three shots were fired one went through the bottem of a cup in her cupholder. The second shot went into the firewall of the rear passenger side, the third was a skip round. The 2nd suspect Thane Nathan Taylor, was not grazed, peggy kicked him in the balls and he fell backwards as she fired her first shot. He stayed on the ground as grossman wretched the weapon from Peggy's hand. Grossman shot peggy behind her left ear, she remai ed bent over the seat until they passed her veh as they fled. Taylor testified that she slipped to the ground on her back as they passed. Sometime after Taylor's release he committed suicide. I was a florida wildlife officer and Peggy's best friend, I carried her coffin, attended every minute of the trial along with her family, and attended the execution of Martin Edward Grossman.
Why is it that write ups like this cant get the facts of this tragedy accurate. Future officers could benefit from knowing the correct details.

Retired L E O Lynda B Tharp
1979 to 1986 florida wildlife officer

February 7, 2020