Memorial for Mass. Rampage Victims

Dec. 28, 2000 -- Hundreds of mourners gathered tonight to say goodbye to the seven victims gunned down by their fellow co-worker at Edgewater Technology, Inc. as authorities continued to search for clues into the tragedy.

St. Joseph’s Church in Wakefield served as a refuge for many terrified office workers Tuesday after Michael “Mucko” McDermott, according to authorities, methodically killed four women and three men. Tonight it was place of remembrance as the victims were honored during a one-hour memorial prayer service. Church officials had expected approximately 1,000 people to attend. The church has seating for approximately 800 people and approximately 100 had to stand outside St. Joseph’s, unable to find a seat.

Candles were lighted for each of the victims, which included a widower, a new mother just back from maternity leave, and a woman who would have celebrated her 49th birthday on Wednesday. They have been identified as: Jennifer Bragg-Capobianco, JaniceHagerty, Louis Javelle, Rose Manfredy, Paul Marceau, CherylTroy and Craig Wood.

Father Michael Steele of St. Joseph’s said the service intended to bring the Wakefield community together and celebrate the victims’ lives.

Two people traveled from Arlington, Va., to remember one of the victims. Steve and Jennifer Casco went to the University of Massachusetts with slain 29-year-old Jennifer Bragg Capobianco and were on the crew team. When he first heard the news, Steve said he hoped authorities had somehow gotten it wrong and his friend wasn’t among thedead.

“I was floored. I couldn’t believe it,” Casco said. “I wentto Web sites to find her name to see if it was spelled wrong.”

The crew team alumni have set up a scholarship fund for Jennifer’s daughter, who was born a little more than two monthsago. The Cascos left a picture of the crew team, with JenniferCapobianco in the front and husband Jeff on the right side, at the church. Itwas accompanied by some words from Henry David Thoreau: “Even thedeath of friends will inspire us as much as their lives. Theirmemories will be encrusted over with sublime and pleasing thoughtsas monuments of other men are overgrown with moss; for our friendshave no place in the graveyard.”

Tracing the Arsenal

But while the victims’ loved ones seek closure, few can understand what happened.

Prosecutors say McDermott, 42, was angry over the possible garnishment of his wages by the Internal Revenue Service and are looking at his financial problems as a possible motive. McDermott was arraigned Wednesday on seven counts of first-degree murder and is being held in Middlesex County Jail in Cambridge.

The suspect was being evaluated to determine if he shouldcontinue to receive medications his lawyer said he has been taking for anundisclosed psychiatric problem.

Police said McDermott, a software engineer and ex-Navy submariner, walked into the Internet consulting company’s headquarters late Tuesday morning armed with a shotgun, a semiautomatic assault rifle and a semiautomatic pistol.

“This was a methodical undertaking with deliberate premeditation,” Assistant District Attorney Tom O’Reilly said.

In the wake of Tuesday’s rampage, authorities searching McDermott’s apartment seized bomb-making chemicals, blasting caps and magazines on explosives. McDermott also may have participated in complex scientific discussions over the Internet about how to make explosives, authorities say, but no plans to use the explosives were found in the apartment.

Authorities say they are trying to figure out how the suspect amassed such an arsenal of high-powered guns and ammunition despite strict gun laws in Massachusetts and his not having a gun permit. McDermott had no permits for the guns in Middlesex County, District Attorney Martha Coakley said at a press conference Wednesday. Massachusetts has very strict gun laws, but regulations in neighboring New Hampshire and Rhode Island are much looser. Wakefield is a half-hour drive from the New Hampshire state line, and about an hour from Rhode Island.

Methodical Precision

During the rampage, authorities say, McDermott attacked with methodical precision: he shot a vice president of human resources as she was standing at the reception desk and then killed the receptionist as she tried to escape. Authorities said McDermott then headed to one office and killed three people: a woman who was found slumped over her computer, shot in the back; a woman found underneath her desk; and a man found slumped next to a copy machine, shot in the face and leg.

Then, one witness told authorities, after several workers barricaded themselves in another office, McDermott shot the door handle off and killed two more people. In all, 37 rounds were fired during the five-to-eight minute rampage.

When police arrived, they found McDermott sitting impassively in the office lobbyuntil police arrived. As they approached, McDermott only said: “I don’t speak German.”

Although three loaded guns and a black bag full of ammunition were within reach, he was taken into custody without incident, police said. Police said they found shotgun shells in McDermott’s trash can at work, ammunition in a cubbyhole above his desk, and a rifle with a sniper sight in a locker in his office

Trouble With the IRS

McDermott’s wages were to be garnished by the IRS after the holidays because he was delinquent in tax payments, said Coakley. The garnishment could have been a motive for the shootings, she said.

A person familiarwith the IRS order who did not want to be identified said theamount owed was “a couple thousand” dollars.

Coakley said Edgewater had agreed not to begin taking money from his paycheck until after the holidays. However, McDermott had an angry outburst in the company’saccounting department last week over the prospect of losing some of his wages, according to an employee who spoke only on condition of anonymity. He apparently felt the company was not doing enough to take his side against the IRS, the employee said.

But co-workers told The Boston Herald that McDermott appeared to have a good attitude about the garnishment.

“There was no yelling or anything like that,” one employee was quoted as saying. Another said, “His attitude was, ‘No problem, I’ll deal with it. Do what you have to do.’ That’s what’s so amazing.”

Company Temporarily Closed

McDermott had worked at Edgewater since March, said Middlesex County prosecutor John McEvoy.

The company is undergoing a streamlining process, selling off its Commercial Services and Intellimark divisions to focus on Internet services. Last Thursday it announced it was offering $8 a share for some 57 percent of the company’s outstanding common stock, a total offering of $130 million.

The company will remain closed until at least New Year’s. Grief counseling is being made available for Edgewater employees and families of the victims, Edgewater CEO Shirley Singleton said today. The company has offered an initial $70,000 contribution to the victims’ families and will oversee fund-raising efforts.

ABCNEWS.com’s Dean Schabner, Andrew Colton and The Associated Press contributed to this report.