Family of Murder Suspect and Family Speak Out
By: Candace Hutchins
Updated: March 3, 2008
The family of a 95-year-old man allegedly murdered at the hand of his grandson talks about the shooting that happened over the weekend. The question that baffles the family and police is what could possibly make a 37-year-old man shoot and kill his disabled grandfather, the man who raised him?
Police believe it was an argument that lead to the deadly shooting. And perhaps the fact that 37-year-old John Kyle Lockard had recently lost his job. He lived in the home at 407 Vanda Avenue with his mother, his sister, and his 95-year-old grandfather R.K. Flippen. That's where Lockard allegedly shot his grandfather in the neck and then barricaded himself around nine Saturday morning. That lead Lubbock police to call in the SWAT team.
After an hour and a half of negotiations, Lockard finally surrendered to police with his disabled grandfather dead inside the home. Lockard's mother and sister say they don't know what got into him and this wasn't the son or brother they knew.
"Something was on his mind but i couldn't figure out what it was this just wasn't my son this was not my son.", says Mary Cook, Lockard's mother. "The person you saw on Saturday, we don't know him ... I don't know that kid. It's like he's got a whole different personality.", says Lockard's sister, Jatanya Herod.
Still a lot of unanswered questions as police continue to investigate. Lockard doesn't have a previous record but is now charged with murder. He's being held in the Lubbock County jail under a $100,000 bond.
