Luka, Timothy

Timothy married Vanderkinter, Tracey [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Reference Number: 7628
• News Mention: 30 Aug 2013; Appleton Post Crescent
• Obituary: 1 Oct 2013; Appleton Post Crescent

Notes:

News Mention:
A man and woman from Neenah who shot and killed themselves on U.S. Highway 41 after robbing a town of Vinland liquor store were also suspects in a home burglary earlier this week, a law enforcement official said Thursday morning.
Randy T. Lamb, 29, and Ashley R. Luka, 28, died of self-inflicted gunshot wounds to the head Wednesday during a standoff with deputies on U.S. Highway 41
The standoff began after Lamb robbed a town of Vinland liquor store at gunpoint earlier in the day.
Lamb, 29, entered Hank's Paynes Point Liquor, 6392 County Trunk A, at 3:50 p.m. Wednesday and asked to buy lottery tickets. He told the clerk he forgot his wallet, went out to the car and returned with a handgun and demanded money from the clerk, said Winnebago County Sheriff's Capt. David Mack.
The clerk, who described Lamb as acting nervous and strange, gave him an undisclosed amount of money. Lamb left the store and headed south on County Trunk A. The clerk then called 911 and reported being robbed at gunpoint, Mack said.
Law enforcement in the area were alerted of the robbery and a short while later a Winnebago County Sheriff's deputy saw Lamb's vehicle on Country Trunk GG. Mack said the deputy pursued the vehicle and was able to stop Lamb and Luka on Highway 41 beneath the County Trunk Y overpass.
Because the deputy knew there was a handgun involved, he immediately called for backup. During initial attempts to negotiate, the couple refused to cooperate and began making suicidal comments.
The SWAT Team was called and authorities began to shut down Highway 41 between U.S. Highway 45 and State Highway 76. As a result, traffic was backed up for miles in both directions as drivers were rerouted along alternate routes during rush hour. Mack said the closure was made in order to ensure the safety of the public and law enforcement.
"Due to the serverity of the incident, there was clearly no choice other than to shut the entire highway down," Mack said.
Authorities continued to negotiate with the couple in an attempt to reach a peaceful resolution, but Mack said the pair continued to make suicidal comments. Throughout negotiations, Mack said it appeared Luka was a willing participant in the events leading up to the standoff.
At 6:10 p.m., nearly two-and-a-half hours after the robbery, SWAT officers heard two gunshots fired from inside the vehicle, Mack said.
Officers approached the vehicle and saw the two had suffered gunshot wounds to the head. Medical personnel were called in and Lamb and Luka were pronounced dead, Mack said.
Detectives from the Oshkosh Police Department were called in to finish the investigation due to the severity of the incident and the close contact SWAT officers had with the suspects.
The move is very common, said Oshkosh Police Capt. Kelly Kent, not only for those reasons, but also because it lends transperancy to the incident.
During their investigation, a team of three Oshkosh Police detectives spoke to witnesses and deputies and reviewed video from the in-squad cameras in the Winnebago Sheriff's deputies' vehicles. The investigation showed that no deputy fired a weapon and Lamb and Luka took their own lives using the one handgun that was in the vehicle, Kent said.
"It's very clearly, and undisputedly, a case of double suicide by self-inflicted gunshot wounds," Oshkosh Police Capt. Kelly Kent said. "And there were no weapons discharged by any of the sheriff's deputies."
Autopsies were performed Thursday and Kent said he expects to receive the results in the coming weeks.
Lamb and Luka were also suspects in a town of Vinland home burglary where jewelry was taken Tuesday, Mack said. The Winnebago County Sheriff's Office was looking to speak with them about the incident, but had not yet made contact with them, Mack said.
The Oshkosh Police Department continues its investigation into the incident.

Obituary:
Ashley R. Luka, of Neenah, age 28, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, August 28, 2013. She was born October 25, 1984 in Neenah, daughter of Tim and Tracey (Vander Kinter) Luka.
Ashley graduated from Neenah High School and UW-Milwaukee with a major in Bio-Chemistry. Ashley had been employed in medical research at UW-Madison, and in the nursing field in Oshkosh.
She loved her two cats and was an avid reader on many topics, especially science. Ashley enjoyed astronomy, training for her first marathon, and spending time with her family and friends.
Survivors include her parents, Tim and Tracey Luka; a sister, Heather Luka; 2 nieces; her grandmother, aunts, uncles, and cousins.
She was preceded in death by two grandfathers, a grandmother, two aunts, and a cousin.
Ashley was very outgoing and touched many lives. She enjoyed life and was a very loving, caring, loyal and compassionate person. She will be sadly missed by all who knew her.
A private family service was held. In lieu of flowers a memorial is being established in her name.
Westgor Funeral Home
205 W. Doty Ave.
Neenah 722-7151
Online condolences:
www.westgorfuneralhomes.com
Published in Appleton Post-Crescent on September 1, 2013

Ashley — Lamb, Randy. Randy (son of Lamb, Randy K. and Unknown, Sarah) was born 20 Jun 1984, Neenah, Winnebago, Wisconsin, USA; died 28 Aug 2013. [Group Sheet]