A GRIEVING mother has revealed the heartbreaking final words she heard her son utter before he allegedly died at the hands of his father.
Kevin Ward was shot and killed in a domestic dispute while visiting the home of his 61-year-old father, Harold Luster, on Christmas Eve.
“Kevin was my go-to person,” Katherine Ward, the victim’s mother, told local NBC affiliate KSDK of her 26-year-old son.
“My son was the best. He was a great kid that didn’t deserve that night and I wish 1,000 times he never went down there.
“But me and him never would have thought this would ever happen.
“It’s almost like I’m in a nightmare and I can’t get out.”
Kevin, the oldest of four brothers, was recently engaged and expecting his first child with his fiancée, Kaitlyn.
The couple visited Kevin’s father, Harold Luster, at his home in the St. Louis suburb of High Ridge on Christmas Eve when tragedy struck.
Katherine explained to KSDK that before the incident with Kevin, there was an argument between Luster and another family member that was unrelated to Kevin. This argument had already upset Luster, contributing to his heightened emotions during the confrontation.
Court documents obtained by KSDK stated that Luster believed Katherine had cheated on him – and that Kaitlyn was holding back information.
When Kevin intervened to calm the situation and protect Kaitlyn, Luster reacted by grabbing his gun, as detailed in court documents, and damaging Kevin’s treasured truck.
Luster then allegedly called Katherine, who heard Kevin in the background saying, “Dad, why are you doing this, I don’t deserve this.”
Those turned out to be the final words Katherine heard from her son, as he was allegedly shot by his father moments later.
“Kevin died with a gunshot to his forehead and his hands tucked in his pockets,” Katherine told KSDK.
“[Luster] was ultimately going to shoot Kevin’s fiancée and Kevin sacrificed himself, he was the hero that night.
“He would rather die than have her and that baby taken.”
Kevin was a special person and I don’t want anyone to think for one second he did something wrong that night.
Katherine, identified as Kevin’s mother, expressed her desire for Luster to face consequences but denied the accusations of infidelity made by Luster. She also revealed to KSDK that her relationship with Kevin’s father had been both mentally and physically abusive.
“I honestly believe Kevin didn’t think his father would ever do something like that to him … I always thought it was going to be me, not my son,” she added.
“My son cannot breathe, my son cannot walk, my son cannot see, my son is not here no more.
“Why should [Luster] get the pleasure of sitting, even though it’s a jail cell, he’s still alive, and I want him to suffer every day at that memory.
“As far as justice, he deserves life.”
Luster has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and armed criminal action in connection to Kevin’s death.
He is being held without bond and is due back in court on January 3.
Kevin died with a gunshot to his forehead and his hands tucked in his pockets. He was ultimately going to shoot Kevin’s fiancée and Kevin sacrificed himself, he was the hero that night. He would rather die than have her and that baby taken.
Katherine Ward
‘SENSELESS ACT’
Kevin, a Missouri Department of Transportation employee, has been remembered as someone who loved life.
“He had big dreams ahead of him,” Katherine told the dozens of attendees at a vigil held on December 28.
A balloon release accompanied the vigil.
Kevin’s former middle school assistant principal, Thomas Dittrich, Jr., was one of the many people in attendance.
The assistant principal said Kevin had recently asked him to officiate his wedding.
“He really impressed me the way he grew up, working for MoDOT, a serious girlfriend expecting a baby and really making a life for himself,” Dittrich, Jr. told local CBS affiliate KMOV.
But instead, Kevin’s family is left grieving.
A GoFundMe has been established to help the family during this time.
“To get your baby taken away on a senseless act, I wouldn’t wish that upon nobody,” Katherine told KMOV.
“It’s the most gut-wrenching thing that I’d ever had to go through.”
