Wayne Bengston, 41, employed by the U.S. Forest Service in northwestern Montana, was in a fit of jealous rage when he came across the TV personality host of the Sportsman Channel show "A Rifleman's Journal" sharing a glass of wine with Mrs. Bengston. Bengston shot and killed TV host Gregory G. Rodriguez, 43, of Sugar Land, Texas, then beat his wife, and then after taking his 2-year-old son to a relative's house – went back to his home and killed himself, Yahoo! News reported on March 8.
Whitefish Police Chief Bill Dial said that it’s pretty much an open and shut case of homicide and suicide.
After her beating, Bengston's wife told police that the TV host was in town on business on March 7 and visited her at her mother's house in Whitefish. Wayne Bengston appeared at his mother-in-law’s home around 10:30 p.m.
According to the police, Rodriguez and Bengston's wife, an employee for a firearms manufacturer, met at a trade show “and struck up a casual relationship.” Police Chief Bill Dial said that he doesn't believe their friendship was that of a romantic nature.
When Bengston arrived at the house Thursday night, his wife and Rodriguez were having a glass of wine at the kitchen table. And that’s when Bengston shot and killed Rodriguez.
Immediately after the shooting, Bengston beat his wife about the head and face, most likely with his gun according to police.
"I think it was a jealous husband, but this is all conjecture," Dial said.
Flathead County sheriff's deputies caught up with Bengston after the shooting at his home about 25 miles away.
A SWAT team was called in; but they couldn't make contact with the shooter, who was ultimately found inside the home with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the wound.
A former mortgage banker, Gregory Rodriguez was also the founder and CEO of Global Adventure Outfitters, editor at Shooting Times Magazine, and a contributing editor at Petersen's Hunting, Guns & Ammo and Dangerous Game, all in addition to hosting "A Rifleman's Journal."
Rodriguez leaves behind a wife and two children.
An episode of "A Rifleman's Journal" featuring Rodriguez and his young son hunting in Botswana accompanies this article.
Also see:
Search continues in mysterious disappearance of missing Md. woman
Connect with Rich Webster on Facebook and Twitter.
To receive e-mail alerts to Richard's Domestic Crimes articles, Subscribe Here to Get Instant Updates.
E-mail alerts are free, private and secure, and you won't get any ink on your fingers.
Comments