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Those who knew 34-year-old Kelly Wark say she struggled with mental illness - once brandishing a shotgun at members of her Bible study group - before she shot a Lehi police captain Monday and was killed by return fire.
Robert and Mary Wark of Gig Harbor, Wash., said in a statement Tuesday their daughter had "struggled with severe mental illness in the past year," and offered "condolences" to the family of Capt. Harold Terry. He remained hospitalized in serious condition Tuesday with two gunshot wounds to the head.
Wark's ex-husband, Craig Hancock, said she had exhibited paranoia during their relationship, and claimed a variety of people had raped and abused her. Hancock said Wark once told him she had dissociative disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.
"She refused to take her medication or refused to upgrade her medication," he said. "That's why we're divorced."
Wark's family declined to specify what type of mental illness she had, but said she had received treatment over the years, was on medication and was making a new start in Utah.
"We were really hoping that she was on the mend," said her sister, Erin Wark.
Wark had moved to Provo to attend massage therapy school and excelled at painting, said Gwyn Vukich, a cousin of the Wark family. Wark specialized in portraits and had earned degrees in art and psychology from Western Washington University in Bellingham before she decided she wanted to become a massage therapist, Vukich said.
Hancock said he and Wark met in early 2006 in Spokane, Wash., through a dating service for Christian singles. Wark worked at telemarketing firms and was a painter who had showings at galleries around Spokane, Hancock said.
Wark was quiet and ultra-shy, Hancock said, but gave no indications of the problems to come.
"I knew she was a bubble off center but who isn't?" said Hancock, a truck driver.
The couple married June 3, 2007. About a month into the marriage, Hancock said, she began acting strangely. She accused Hancock, he said, calling him "one of those violent white abusers who sold me into slavery."
Hancock said he took his then-wife to a psychiatrist. As the psychiatrist was trying to talk to her, Wark grew angry and ran out of the office, Hancock said.
Some time later, a couple from Bible study arrived unannounced at Hancock and Wark's home. The couple wanted to return Wark's Bible, Hancock said, but when Wark saw them pull into the driveway, she started yelling and screaming they needed to leave.
Hancock went to the driveway to explain to the couple they needed to leave. When he turned around, Hancock said, Wark was on the porch, pumping a 12-gauge shotgun.
Hancock hurried the couple away before any shots were fired, he said, but the incident persuaded Hancock to leave the marriage. Along with the shotgun, Wark had a .38-caliber pistol, Hancock said.
The same caliber pistol was used to shoot Terry.
"She was very fearful and very afraid a lot and so she was always trying to protect herself," Erin Wark said.
As Wark was moving out, Hancock said, he hid the two guns between the couple's mattress and box spring, hoping she would leave them behind and not use them to harm anyone. Wark found them, and so Hancock said he warned her family she should not have them.
The Wark family on Tuesday declined to answer any questions about the guns. Her parents called their daughter a "gentle, kind and loving person" in the statement.
Hancock and Wark were married only about six months. Hancock said Wark's continued talk of rape and abuse made him afraid to do more to help her. Hancock was afraid of being accused of a crime.
"Maybe I didn't love her enough to take the chance - to force the issue," Hancock said.
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