The Sacred Acre

by Mark Tabb

  “We wanted to bring you up-to-date on where we are in the investigation and brief you on what actually took place the day Ed was killed. Obviously, there will be some information we cannot divulge because of the pending trial, as well as some things we don’t know but are still investigating. And if at any point you have a question, feel free to ask.”

  The Thomas family nodded that they were ready.

  “I would like to introduce agent Jack Liao to you. Jack has been in the lead for much of the investigation. He will explain where we are and what we’ve learned so far.” With that, Jeff sat down in a chair off to one side. He crossed his legs and lowered his head.

  “From our interviews with Mark Becker, we learned he had been planning this for a couple of weeks,” Jack said. “Apparently his anger with Ed, for whatever reason, had been building for some time, as far back as last September. We don’t know why. A while back, he tore down a poster that hung in his parents’ house that had Ed’s picture on it. Becker had also ripped out Ed’s eyes on the poster.

  “On the day of the shooting, Becker got up early and went to breakfast with his father. He gave no indications of what he was planning. In fact, he talked about getting some help for his mental illness. Dave told us that he came away more optimistic about his son than he had been in a long time. Obviously, neither Dave nor Joan had any idea what their son was planning.

  “After his parents left their house, Becker broke the padlock off a cabinet and removed a .22-caliber handgun. He then went outside and took target practice. He proceeded to Aplington in search of Coach. He told us that he had originally planned on killing the entire family but later changed his mind.” The Thomas family looked at each other with shocked looks of disbelief.

  Jack continued: “Becker went to a house near the middle school. A witness, an older woman, said he asked if the Thomases lived in this house. Given the number of people from Parkersburg who moved to Aplington after the tornado, either temporarily or permanently, that didn’t strike us as completely odd. The woman told him no, and he got back in his car and left. The assistant principal at the middle school was the next person to encounter Becker in Aplington. Becker asked if he knew where Coach Thomas was. The assistant principal told him that Coach was probably at Parkersburg Elementary School teaching driver’s ed.

  “That’s where he went next. One of the elementary school custodians said Becker came in and asked where Coach Thomas was because he wanted to do some work for Coach. The custodian made a couple of phone calls to track Coach down. He was the one who told Becker that Coach was in the weight room at the bus barn. Again, nothing about Becker’s demeanor gave anyone a hint as to what he was really up to.”

  Jack paused and let out a long sigh. “Once he arrived at the high school, he walked over to the bus barn and stuck his head in the door for just a moment. He then returned a minute or two later and walked in the door, his hands down at his side. Ed was standing with one of the football players when Becker approached him. Coach said, ‘Hey, Mark,’ and then Becker raised a gun and fired the first round, striking Coach in the head.”

  The family fought hard to keep their composure. Candice buried her head into Todd’s shoulder, while Ellie grasped hard onto Aaron’s arm. Aaron put his other arm around his mother.

  “Ed fell to the ground. Becker then continued to fire at him, for a total of seven shots.”

  Todd interrupted. “You’re sure of where he shot my dad first? He wasn’t shot in the knee or the stomach first? You’re sure of that?” This question had haunted Todd since the day of the shooting. He could not bear the thought of his father suffering in great pain as he was shot repeatedly.

  Jack looked around at his team. Jeff spoke up. “Yes, Todd, we are. All the witnesses confirm that the first shot was to the head at very close range. The boy who was standing next to your father said that Becker raised the gun very quickly and aimed it at the boy’s head first. The boy shut his eyes, thinking he was about to die. He heard the gunfire and opened his eyes, and that’s when he saw that your father had been shot in the head.”

  “A rumor is going around town that my dad jumped in front of one of the students to keep him from getting shot,” Aaron said, “but it sounds like that’s not what happened.”

  “No, it’s not,” Jack said.

  “One more question,” Aaron said. “My dad had some bruising on his face and on his chest when I saw him in the hospital. Do you have any idea how that happened? It doesn’t seem like falling to the ground would do that.”

  Jack looked over at Chris, who dropped his head.

  “Witnesses told us,” Jack said, “that after Becker shot your dad he, uh …,” he took a deep breath before he went on to say, “he then stomped on your father, striking him multiple times in the face and in the chest and shouting profanities at him.”

  “He what?” Todd asked, his voice breaking with anger.

  “He stomped on your father, shouting profanities at him,” Jack said.

  “After he was already down on the ground and could not defend himself at all?” Todd said. He swung his body around as if he had just been kicked in the chest. Candice wrapped her arms around him and whispered something in his ear.

  “That is correct,” Jack said.

  “Could he … uh …” Todd fought to keep himself together. “Could my dad feel it?”

  “No,” Jack said. “We know he lost consciousness after the first shot, so there is no way he felt anything after that. He did not suffer pain.”

  Todd shook his head, fighting back tears. “Good … good.”

  “Did he say why he did it?” Aaron asked, his jaw clenched to keep his emotions in check.

  “Mark clearly had some deep-seated animosity toward Ed, but we don’t really know why he wanted to kill him. We are still trying to figure that out,” Jack replied.

  Aaron asked, “Where is he now?”

  “He’s at the county jail. We’ve already charged him with first-degree murder.”

  “What about bail?” Aaron added. “Is there any chance he might get out on bail between now and the trial?”

  Sheriff Johnson answered, “I believe bail has been set at one million dollars. So no, he’s not getting out.”

  “That’s a relief,” Aaron said. He didn’t have to say it, but everyone in the room was thinking the same thing. Everyone feared that if Mark Becker did somehow make bail, he would change his mind once again and come after the rest of the family.

  While Aaron and Todd peppered the investigators with questions, Jan sat back and listened. Hearing how her husband died was nearly as hard emotionally as coming to grips with the fact that he had been taken from her. Ellie reached over and put her arm around Jan. Even so, Jan felt very alone without Ed there beside her.

  The briefing went on for another half hour. The family had more questions about how the investigation would proceed, when the case would go to trial, and what the state needed from them as it built its case. It was the first of what would prove to be many such briefings over the next several months. Of them all, this was the worst.

  After the briefing, the family returned to Jan’s house. A few minutes later, Aaron said, “I’ll be back. I need to take a walk.”

  “Do you want me to go with you?” Ellie asked.

  “No,” Aaron said. The rage he had felt as he sat and listened to the details of what Mark Becker did to his father boiled inside of him. He fought to keep it in check. “No, I uh … I just need to be by myself for a little while. I won’t be gone long.”

  He took off walking, to where he didn’t know. The image of Mark Becker standing over his father, stomping on him and cursing him, played over and over in his mind. How could he do that to my father! All Dad ever did to him was encourage him and believe in him and do everything he could possibly do to try to help him make some right choices for once in his life, and this is how Mark repays him! Give me five minutes alone with him, and I’ll repay him … Aaron shook his head, trying to pus
h those thoughts away. Oh, God, what am I thinking? You said in Romans 12:19, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay.” I have to leave this in your hands, God, he prayed.

  But you know what the worst part of this is? You know what nearly makes me crazy? If Becker turned his life around right now, if he asked the Lord to forgive him and save him and then ended up going to heaven, my dad would be the first in line to welcome him home. And if I know my father, he’s probably talking to Jesus right now about Mark Becker. He’s probably asking the Lord to give him another chance to choose to do what’s right, because the Lord knows my father gave the kid enough second chances.

  Aaron kept walking. He passed people and houses without noticing either. No one bothered him. No one stopped to ask him how he was doing. He just walked and walked and walked.

  I know what Dad would say. He would tell me not to feel sorry for him, that he’s in heaven right now because of what Jesus did when he died on a cross. Dad spent his entire life preparing for his final moment, and now that it is here, what am I supposed to say? — “No, Dad, you can’t go?” Aaron walked along, turning that thought over and over in his mind. I can’t say that. But did it have to be like this?

  “Adversity is the test of character,” Dad always said. He told his team over and over after the tornado that when bad things happen, it gives you an opportunity to show the character that is really

  inside of you. So what is really inside of you, Aaron Thomas? Are you going to get up and move forward, or are you going to let Mark Becker knock you down and out? What’s it going to be?

  Oh, God, I can’t do this on my own, he prayed.

  Aaron turned and started back toward his mother’s house. If I can’t live out right now all the lessons my dad taught me for my entire life, then his legacy won’t mean much. “When the wind starts blowing, don’t tell me about the hurricane; just bring the ship home,” he used to say. If he were here right now, Dad wouldn’t want to hear all my excuses for how unfair it is that someone took him from me. He would just look me in the eye and say, “You know what you need to do, Aaron. Now do it. Do the right thing.” Aaron let out a long sigh. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength3 — even this.

  Todd was not able to carve out time to be alone until later that evening. Candice could tell he needed a great deal of space, so she found an excuse to leave him at her parents’ house all by himself. Like his brother, Todd seethed with anger after hearing the details of the murder. Why did he have to kick Dad after he was down? Even though he knew his father did not feel anything after the first shot, the very thought that this kid would kick his dad after he was on the ground, defenseless, infuriated Todd. Yet, even as he thought about that final act of cruelty, he couldn’t help but think about the way his dad lived his life. He dedicated himself to God’s plan for his life, no matter what the cost—even if it meant his own life. And in the end it did.

  His mind raced back to endless conversations with his father. It wasn’t about football. It was never about football. His father always said he wanted his legacy to be that he wasn’t just a football coach but a man who tried to live a Christian life and impact others. A peace came over Todd. Boy, did he ever do that. Dad reached the last kid God had for him to reach, and then he got to go home. I know, I know, the moment he walked into heaven, he heard the Father say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”* That thought put a smile on Todd’s face. That’s all his dad ever wanted — to finish the work God had for him, and to do it the very best he could.

  Todd let out a long sigh. Oh, God, I miss him. He sat down and began to weep. A deep ache came over him. Evil had come after his dad, but that didn’t mean that evil had to win. For Todd, it could not win. Oh, God, use my dad’s death. Turn this evil into good, he prayed.

  Thoughts of how blessed Aaron’s sons were to have known their grandfather swept through Todd’s mind. He had always taken it for granted that his kids would as well. He had always assumed that if he and Candice had sons, they would someday play football for his dad and learn all the lessons from him that he had learned. His sorrow deepened as he realized it was all up to him now. It was up to him to pass on his dad’s legacy to his own children. Todd sat still, alone, for a very long time. One thought came over him, one thought that gave him the strength to place Mark Becker in God’s hands and leave his fate up to him: One day, God is going to call me home. And I can see it. I can see Dad coming up to me with a hug and a grin that only my dad can give. And I can already hear him telling me, “Welcome home, pal!”

  After a long time, he stood up and said, “OK. I can do this.”

  *Philippians 4:13.

  CHAPTER 20

  GOOD-BYE

  There are three things necessary to be successful in life: faith and a relationship with God, using our power to choose to do what is right, and hard work.

  ED THOMAS

  OF ALL THE THINGS THE THOMAS FAMILY HAD TO DO IN THE aftermath of the shooting, planning Ed’s funeral was the easiest. They really didn’t have to plan anything. Ed already had everything laid out for them. It wasn’t that he expected to die anytime soon. Not at all. It’s just that Ed was the kind of man who had referees lined up for football games five years in the future. So it didn’t surprise anyone that he had notes stuffed into his Bible listing all the songs he wanted sung at his funeral service, along with a list of pallbearers and Scriptures that should be read. Although Ed did not leave a list of names of approved speakers, the family knew which person he would have chosen. Al Kerns had worked with Ed longer than anyone else, which made him a natural choice to lead things off. Ed would also want his pastor, Brad Zinnecker, to speak. And one of Ed’s former players and a current coach, Kelly Williamson, seemed like the perfect person to close out the service.

  No, planning the service was not hard, especially since the family knew where Ed wanted the focus. More than anything, he wanted those in attendance and those who watched on television to hear the good news of how God sent his Son to die on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins, and how he rose again on the third day that we might have eternal life. Not only that, Ed wanted people to understand exactly how they could receive God’s gift of eternal life by turning from their sins and placing their faith in Jesus alone. If Ed had walked into the room while the family was planning the service, that’s where everything would have stopped. He wouldn’t have wanted people to keep going on about him.

  But that decision was not up to Ed, even though he had outlined most of the service ahead of time. The family wanted to share the gospel, but they also wanted to celebrate Ed’s life and the impact he made on so many lives. The way the family saw it, the funeral wasn’t an end, but the end of the beginning of the impact of the life of Ed Thomas. After the tornado, Ed spoke of rebuilding the town and making it stronger and better than it had ever been before. If he could, they knew he would get up and say the same thing now. The message of the funeral had to be: If Ed Thomas has impacted your life, go and do the same thing for someone else. Carry on his legacy, because that is what his entire life was all about.

  The only hard part in planning Ed’s funeral was figuring out how to fit into the church everyone who wanted to attend. The auditorium of First Congregational Church has a capacity of three hundred. No one knew how many people might show up on that day.

  Sunday afternoon, the day before the funeral and four days after the shooting, they had their answer. The family scheduled a visitation time at which friends and family could come to the church to pay their respects to Ed and express their condolences to the family. They planned to start at 3:00 p.m. and end at 8:00. Once the crowd started lining up, the plans had to change. At one point, the line to get into the church stretched six blocks down the street from the church. Some people waited as long as four and a half hours to get inside. Police estimated that over five thousand people came through the line by the time the visitation finally ended at 11:30 p.m. Jan, Aaron, and Todd spoke to every single person who c
ame through the line. They hardly even took a break.

  However, before the doors opened to the public, Jan arranged for Dave and Joan Becker to come to the church to say their goodbyes to Ed alone. While some people found this gesture hard to believe in light of the circumstances, for Jan and her sons, they never gave it a second thought. Of course, they would invite the Beckers to come to pay their respects to Ed. After all, Dave Becker had been the senior captain of Ed’s first team in Parkersburg. The two of them served as deacons together at church, and the Beckers had been in Ed’s Sunday school class for nearly thirty years. In the aftermath of the tornado, Dave and his youngest son, Scott, had spent many hours cleaning up the field and doing anything else Coach asked them to do.

  Yet, there was more to the Thomases’ decision than family connections. Jan put herself in Dave and Joan’s shoes and looked at this tragedy from their perspective. She thought of all of the hopes and all of the dreams the Beckers had for their son—dreams now gone forever. As a parent herself, Jan tried to imagine what it would be like to carry the pain and the guilt Joan and Dave must surely feel. That is why Jan and the entire Thomas family were able to separate the family from this act. Mark Becker, not his parents or his brothers, committed this act. By reaching out to Dave and Joan, the Thomas family also sent a message to the entire community to do the same. If Jan, Aaron, and Todd reacted with anger and bitterness, the rest of the community may well follow suit. Instead, the Thomases made a choice to do the right thing, just as Ed would have done.

  Dave and Joan arrived at 1:45 p.m. Shortly after 2:00, a funeral home official came over and said, “The extended family is here. We need to move this along to give them their time.”