The discovery of the dead body of Beverly Graham, a former neighbor of Sanmarco, the day after the postal slayings has led authorities to suspect that Sanmarco may have shot Graham before unleashing her rage on her former co-workers at the post office.
Sanmarco on the night of Jan. 30 shot three former co-workers outside the Santa Barbara Processing and Distribution Center in Goleta with a 9 mm handgun, according to the U.S. Postal Service. Sanmarco then took an ID from another employee at gunpoint and entered the facility, where she shot three more workers before killing herself.
Killed during the shooting were Guadalupe Swartz, Nicola Grant, Ze Fairchild, Maleka Higgins and Dexter Shannon. The sixth victim, Charlotte Colton, died Feb. 1 from her wounds.
According to the Postal Service, Sanmarco was deemed not fit for work and was separated from the agency on disability retirement in 2003.
"Our heartfelt prayers and condolences go out to the families of the victims and to our employees who have suffered through this tragic incident," Postmaster General John Potter said in a statement. " … The Postal Service and the Postal Inspection Service are cooperating fully with local law enforcement officials in their investigation. I ask that you keep the families of the victims in your thoughts and prayers."
