WAVING her son goodbye, Bev Terpening couldn’t believe what a kind and caring young man he had turned out to be.
Without being asked, he was heading to his ‘grandad’ Henry’s home to fix his roof free of charge.
Zach Salminen (pictured as a child) was always close to his ‘auntie Judy’[/caption]
But at 36 Zach (pictured on his wedding day to Cari) was shot and killed by his ‘aunt’[/caption]
Judy was spotted on the run in a pair of Mickey Mouse pyjamas[/caption]
But Bev could never have imagined the unthinkable carnage that was awaiting her son there.
Arriving at the property Zach Salminen, 36, and his friend Wade Bacon, 38, were lured into grandad Henry’s home by Judy Boyer, who then shot them at point-blank range.
After killing Zach and Wade, Judy went on to shoot her sister, Patti, and father, Henry, before going on the run in distinctive Mickey Mouse pyjamas. She later handed herself in to the police.
But to this day, nobody knows why she killed her four victims.
Bev, 62, from Michigan, says: “My caring boy had died helping an elderly man with his repairs, Judy’s own dad.
The complicated family tree
Bev Terpening is Zach’s mum
Bev has a brother called Ken
Henry Boyer was Ken’s former father-in-law
In turn, Henry became Zach’s ‘honorary’ grandad
Henry had two daughters – Patti and Judy
Zach regarded Judy as his aunt
Wade was a close friend of Zach’s
Zach married Cari
“Zach trusted and loved his ‘auntie’, but she killed him in cold blood.”
Bev was a single mum to five kids and says that money had always been a struggle but Zach always looked on the bright side of life.
“Whatever life threw at us, my middle boy would always try to make me laugh,” she says.
“Zach was family centred and was never happier than when he was hanging out with his siblings though he loved to party with his mates.
“He was also close to his extended family, especially his ‘Auntie’ Judy.”
Judy was the younger sister of Patti, and Henry was their father.
“My kids were close to Patti, Zach saw her as an honorary auntie, and Judy’s dad, Henry, as an honorary Grandad,” says Bev.
“But I was never Judy’s biggest fan.
“When she was growing up, she was an odd kid and would stand around at family gatherings, glaring at everyone and she wasn’t much better as an adult.”
Despite Bev’s reservations, she says Judy always had a soft spot for Zach. Zach would often visit Henry, 85, and would then pop in to see Judy, who lived across the street.
“I was pleased that family meant as much to my boy as it did to me,” Bev says. “But I was also wary, as Judy smoked pot, and I suspected she was sharing it with Zach.”
Bev was so distraught that she thought about getting herself arrested in order to ‘take revenge’ on Judy[/caption]
Judy pleaded guilty to the four killings[/caption]
Zach had been a father and loved his family more than anything according to his mum[/caption]
In time Zach married his long term girlfriend Cari and the couple went on to have three boys and a girl together.
“Cari definitely tamed him,” Bev says. “The old partying Zach was replaced by a responsible and doting dad and husband who worked hard as a carpenter.”
When COVID-19 hit, Zach, Cari and the kids moved in with Bev so the family could isolate together.
“I treasured those moments and knew how lucky I was to be sharing breakfast every day with my grown-up boy,” Bev says.
The following year after sharing a morning cuppa, Zach told his mum he was going with his friend Wade to help repair Henry’s roof.
But later that day, her niece Nicki rang with shocking news.
“She told me there had been a shooting at Henry’s house and that Judy was responsible,” Bev says. “There’d been rumours flying around the family that Judy was stealing from her dad Henry.
“She was weird, but I couldn’t see her shooting anyone, there had to be some mistake.
“My voice trembled as I asked if Zach and Wade were OK.”
Nicki said that Wade had been shot and was clinging to life, and that police were still looking for Patti and Henry but there was no sign of Zach.
I just couldn’t accept that my boy, so full of life at 36, was gone and that his weird auntie was responsible
Bev Terpening
When Bev called Zach there was no answer so she and her husband Ray drove the seven miles to Henry’s home.
When they arrived they were greeted by police.
“When I explained I was Zach’s mum, they said they couldn’t tell me anything yet,” says Bev. “Instead, I was told to go back home, and that someone would call in an hour.”
Back at the house Bev frantically called local hospitals but had no luck.
Over five hours later a police officer called with the news Bev had been dreading – Zach was dead.
She says: “I couldn’t believe it.
“I just couldn’t accept that my boy, so full of life at 36, was gone and that his weird auntie was responsible.
Where to seek grief support
Need professional help with grief?
- Child Bereavement UK Childbereavementuk.org
- Cruse Bereavement Cruse.org.uk
- Relate Relate.org.uk
- The Good Grief Trust Thegoodgrieftrust.org
- You can also always speak to your GP if you’re struggling.
You’re Not Alone
Check out these books, podcasts and apps that all expertly navigate grief…
- Griefcast: Cariad Lloyd interviews comedians on this award-winning podcast.
- The Madness Of Grief by Rev Richard Coles (£9.99, W&N): The Strictly fave writes movingly on losing his husband David to alcoholism.
- Terrible, Thanks For Asking: Podcast host Nora McInerny encourages non-celebs to share how they’re really feeling.
- Good Mourning by Sally Douglas and Imogen Carn (£14.99, Murdoch Books): A guide for people who’ve suffered sudden loss, like the authors who both lost their mums.
- Grief Works: Download this for daily meditations and expert tips.
- How To Grieve Like A Champ by Lianna Champ (£3.99, Red Door Press): A book for improving your relationship with death.
“Cari and Zach had been together since they were teenagers. When I told her she howled in anguish. We held each other and sobbed.”
Police officers soon found the bodies of Henry and his daughter, Patti, 61, in the house.
Judy had fled the scene and was on the run, wearing Mickey Mouse pyjamas.
The following day she handed herself in to police.
Bev says: “I was overwhelmed with grief and anger, I wanted revenge.
“I knew the local police station where Judy was being held had just one holding cell for women.
“I actually considered getting myself arrested, just to get inside that cell with Judy.”
Zach’s body was taken to a morgue, where his family were allowed to see him.
“I wept over his body and told him I loved him,” Bev says. “We had Zach cremated, and then we held a funeral at the local church where it was standing room only.”
Judy Boyer, 55, was charged with first-degree murder for killing her sister and her dad, and second-degree murder for killing Zach and Wade.
The court heard on the morning of the murders; Judy had gone to the house and shot her sister Patti and her dad Henry with a rifle.
Then, when Zach and Wade turned up by chance to fix Henry’s roof, she’d lured them in and shot them too at point-blank range.
Chillingly, when police arrested Judy they’d found a hit list she’d kept of other people she wanted to kill.
I’ll never get over the pain of losing my boy, especially to a family member
Bev Terpening
Judy was jailed for life without parole for Patti and Henry’s murders and she was jailed for at least 60 years for Zach and Wade’s killing.
The prosecutor, Michelle Ambrozaitis said, “No words can adequately describe the devastation, trauma and heartbreak that Ms Boyer has caused the family and friends of Henry, Patricia, Zach and Wade.
“However, it is a small measure of comfort to know that she will spend the remainder of her life in prison.”
Bev says: “Personally, I wish the death penalty had been available because I’d have like to have seen her get that.
“We still don’t really know why she decided to kill four people. Knowing her motive wouldn’t change anything though. My son is still gone, along with his best mate and two other family members.
“I’ll never get over the pain of losing my boy, especially to a family member.
“My son’s beloved ‘auntie’ turned out to be a murderer.
“I hope she rots in jail.”
