Woman who lost husband and son uses probate process to obtain gunman’s records

BATH, Maine (AP) — A woman who lost her husband and son in Maine’s deadliest shooting is seeking the gunman’s health and military records through the probate process.

A judge on Tuesday granted Cynthia Young’s petition to become a special administrator of Robert Card’s estate so she can have legal authority to obtain the records for herself, others who lost loved ones, and attorneys preparing lawsuits. The move was not opposed by Card’s son, who is his sole heir.

Complete medical records from the Army reservist’s time in two hospitals and full records from his lengthy career in the Army Reserve may help families understand why the mass shooting occurred and what steps could have prevented it, said Travis Brennan, one of her lawyers.

“It’s a critical piece of the puzzle. Without that information, there are a lot of unanswered questions. Obtaining this information is critical to a fundamental objective here — which is accountability,” he said.

Eighteen people were killed when the 40-year-old Army reservist opened fire on Oct. 25, 2023, at two locations in Lewiston, Maine.

Young lost her husband Bill and her 14-year-old son Aaron at a bowling alley, the first of two locations targeted by Card. The other was a bar and grill that was hosting a cornhole tournament.

An independent commission concluded both the Army Reserve and law enforcement agencies missed opportunities to intervene in the gunman’s psychiatric crisis and to seize his weapons before the tragedy.

In her filing, Young said she’s seeking a limited role in obtaining documents surrounding Card. She said it won’t interfere with the family or others if they want to move forward with probate at a later date.

Four law firms are jointly representing 90 plaintiffs, and someone is needed to serve as administrator of the estate to sign necessary releases to get information to investigate claims, Young’s filing said.

The Card family has been supportive of the process, Brennan said.

Those who lost loved ones and the Card family all have a shared interest in the information, Brennan said. “Those materials are critical in terms of piecing together important parts of the story, the tragic story that unfolded here,” he said.

The probate hearing was on the same day religious leaders held a service of remembrance and prayer outside the Maine State House, in Augusta, where the names of all of the victims were read aloud.

Leaders from Christian, Jewish and Islamic faiths offered prayers for healing for the survivors of the shootings and those who lost friends and family members. Prayers were also offered up for the family of the gunman.