Indiana woman baffled by husband's slaying at plant

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- An Indianapolis woman whose husband was fatally shot at a Con-Agra Foods plant by a co-worker said Saturday she's baffled by the workplace shooting because her husband had never mentioned any problems with his alleged assailant.

Peggy Hicks told The Indianapolis Star she doesn't understand why her husband, Anthony Hicks Sr., 45, was fatally shot Friday night by one of his co-workers, 44-year-old Alonzo Laws of Indianapolis, who took his own life after the killing.

"I'm angry. I just don't understand why this guy did what he did," Peggy Hicks said of Laws.

She said her husband knew Laws but had never mentioned having any problems with him.

Witnesses told police Hicks was in the plant's break room when Laws entered, made eye contact with him and left without speaking to Hicks. Laws then allegedly returned with a gun and shot Hicks while the victim had his back turned at a vending machine.

Police spokesman Officer Michael Hewitt said Laws fired several shots at Hicks. He said Laws then shot himself in the head.

Hewitt said detectives were still investigating the murder-suicide Saturday afternoon and had no additional information to release.

Con-Agra spokesman Dan Hare confirmed Saturday that the two men were employees at the Indianapolis plant, but referred all other questions to Indianapolis police.

"We're saddened by the tragic event, and our hearts go out to the victims and their loved ones," Hare said.

Peggy Hicks said her husband was raised by a single mom, grew up on Indianapolis' west side and graduated from Ben Davis High School. She said he had worked at Con-Agra Foods for about nine years, often on the overnight shift, and sometimes worked up to 84 hours a week.

"He was all about doing what had to be done to pay the bills or make things happen," she told the Star.

Con-Agra manufactures food brands such as Banquet, Hunt's and Chef Boyardee.

Information from: The Indianapolis Star, http://www.indystar.com