News

MURDER-SUICIDE at Lockheed Martin

December 17, 2008

Lockheed guard kills worker, self

Police: Victim broke off relationship

The Associated Press

ARCHBALD — Authorities say a security guard at a Lockheed Martin plant near Scranton fatally shot a plant employee Tuesday morning, then killed himself.

Authorities say 59-year-old George P. Zadolnny of Taylor shot and killed 46-year-old Deborah Bachak of Mayfield with a .40 caliber Glock handgun at the defense contractor’s Archbald plant before taking his own life.

Zadolnny fatally wounded himself with the same gun, police said. No one else was injured.

Both were pronounced dead Tuesday morning by the Lackawanna County Coroner’s Office, police said.

The investigation into the murder-suicide is continuing pending the outcome of an autopsy.

State police Trooper Bill Satkowski, of the Dunmore barracks, said the couple had been dating but that the victim broke off the relationship several weeks ago.

“Through the investigation it was determined that this incident was a personal matter between the two,” Satkowski said in a news release issued Tuesday.

Hundreds of employees at the facility were evacuated and sent home for the day, police said. Students and employees at Valley View District schools were placed in a lock-down for about an hour.

The county’s communication center received a 911 emergency call of possible shots fired at Lockheed Martin, 459 Kennedy Drive, around 9:40 a.m., police said. Archbald borough police responded with the assistance of area police departments.

Zadolnny was employed by Georgia-based U.S. Security Associates. Lockheed says he was “trained and authorized” to carry a gun as part of his duties.

Lockheed employs nearly 600 people at the plant, which makes laser-guided bombs.

Jen Marckini, a Times Leader staff writer, contributed to this report.

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