The woman allegedly killed by her estranged husband
in a Wisconsin spa told a court three days before the shooting that he
threatened her for years and she feared he would eventually kill her if
they didn't separate.
Zina Haughton, 42, detailed the breakdown of her marriage to Radcliffe
Haughton in her testimony at a Milwaukee County Courthouse Thursday
during a restraining order hearing.
Haughton allegedly opened fire at the Azana Salon & Spa in Brookfield, Wis., Sunday, shooting seven women and killing three.
"Things have gotten so bad, Rad[cliffe]. I just -- we need to separate.
We need a course before you hurt me. Even if it's an accident...I don't
want to die. I just don't want to die," Zina Haughton said in
courtroom audio obtained by ABC News affiliate WISN.
Radcliffe Haughton blamed his wife for the marital problems, accusing her of infidelity.
"For 20 years, we've fought. He's hit me. He thinks I cheated on him,
just the threats have gotten so bad, and like I said, I don't want to
die," Zina Haughton said.
"The scariest night of my life -- he ran in the basement, and he came
upstairs, and he pulled a gun from behind his pants, and it accidentally
went off in between me and my daughter's head, about two inches from
both of our heads," Haughton testified.
Police were called to the spa several weeks before the shooting because
Haughton allegedly slashed the tires of his wife's car. He was arrested
and charged for the incident, and later ordered to turn over all guns in
his possession to the sheriff's department.
A judge granted Zina Haughton's request and issued a four-year restraining order following the hearing.
Two days later, Radcliffe Haughton reportedly purchased a new gun and
then stormed into his wife's salon Sunday and allegedly opened fire
killing his wife and two other women before turning the gun on himself.
Betty Brunner was about to have her hair done by Zina Haughton when her
husband barged into the spa. Haughton pleaded with her husband to spare
others, according to Brunner.
"She was trying to calm him down. She was de-escalating him. I think she
felt responsible for the whole salon," Brunner said. "I think she
wanted to protect all of us."
Radcliffe Haughton, a former Marine, wasn't swayed and that's when gunfire erupted shortly after 11 a.m. local time.
"It was riveting. It was just pop, pop, pop. It just never stopped," Brunner said.
About 17 minutes later, the SWAT team surrounded the spa with their guns
draw, preparing for a battle. Customers -- some still in robes, others
barefoot -- ran out of the spa in a panic, and that's when the SWAT team
rescued Brunner.
"I believe there's a reason why I'm here. One of the reasons is to let
the world know how brave Zina was. She's responsible for saving a lot of
lives. Zina, if you can hear me, thank you, thank you," Brunner said.
After a tense six-hour manhunt, authorities found Haughton's body in a
locked section of the spa, where he had apparently shot himself,
Brookfield Police Chief Daniel Tushaus said.
Aside from Zina Haughton, the deceased victims were identified Monday as
Cary L. Robuck, 35, of Racine; and Maelyn M. Lind, 38, of Oconomowoc.
Four injured women, ranging in age from 22 to 40, were taken to Froedert
Hospital. One victim was released from the hospital Monday, while the
other three women remained in satisfactory condition, according to Kathy
Sieja, hospital spokeswoman.
Copyright 2012 by ABC News
