McCaskill is MO State Auditor, and is a Democrat running for the Senate.http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stor...8B?OpenDocument
QUOTE
McCaskill's ex-husband is found murdered
By Matt Franck, Jo Mannies and Heather Ratcliffe
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
12/13/2005
Kansas City authorities are still trying to unravel the murder of state Auditor Claire McCaskill's ex-husband, who was shot Monday and apparently dumped from his car in a decaying neighborhood.
David Exposito, 64, was found lying on the street, in front of a child-care center. The neighborhood has been the scene of several murders in recent years.
Police on Tuesday recovered his vehicle, a 1979 Thunderbird, which was found minus its decorative gold rims. Some speculated that the assailants may have shot Exposito to get the rims.
Friends described Exposito as an adventuresome, semiretired former car dealer and golf lover who owned a driving range and, at times, lived in a cottage on the site.
More recently, Exposito had been living with a young woman in an apartment complex in Independence, Mo., neighbors said.
McCaskill, a Democrat running for the U.S. Senate, had been married to Exposito for 11 years when the couple divorced in 1995. The two have three children, who reside with McCaskill and her current husband, Joseph Shepard, in Kirkwood. The children, two daughters, 14 and 16, and a son, 18, have the last name of Esposito, having changed it from Exposito.
The son, Austin, on Tuesday praised his father as "the most unbelievable man you could meet in your life" who emphasized to his children that "everybody is worth caring about."
Steve Groom, a friend and frequent customer at the driving range, said Exposito often sought to help the homeless by giving them temporary jobs at the range. Exposito more recently had leased the range's operations to the sons of a friend, said Groom, who last saw Exposito at a golf course a few months ago.
McCaskill rarely discusses the details of the marriage. Introduced by friends, the two married in 1984 while she was a state legislator.
McCaskill was serving as Jackson County prosecutor when Exposito was arrested on a gambling boat in 1994 for marijuana possession. She was publicly angry, and a year later the couple divorced.
In recent years, friends said the two had a civil relationship that revolved around the children.
In a statement issued Tuesday, McCaskill said, "Obviously, this is an incredibly difficult time for me and my children, as they grieve the loss of their father. I will be spending time with my children to help them through this terrible loss, and I know others will respect my family's privacy at this tragic time."
Democratic activists dismissed any talk that Exposito's death would have an impact on McCaskill's campaign for the Senate against Republican incumbent Jim Talent.
Talent called McCaskill on Tuesday to offer his condolences, said Talent campaign consultant Lloyd Smith.
At the scene of the crime, residents of the northeast Kansas City neighborhood were more concerned about the bloodshed than the victim's ties to a public figure.
"I don't want this violence going on around here," said Pinkie Crockett. The murder occurred within feet of Crockett's doorstep.
A co-owner of the day care center, who did not want to be identified, said the violence was nothing new for the neighborhood. He recounted at least three murders within blocks over the past few years.
"It can't get much worse," he said.
Those prior murders drew little attention to the neighborhood, but on Tuesday there were at least three news trucks.
By Matt Franck, Jo Mannies and Heather Ratcliffe
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
12/13/2005
Kansas City authorities are still trying to unravel the murder of state Auditor Claire McCaskill's ex-husband, who was shot Monday and apparently dumped from his car in a decaying neighborhood.
David Exposito, 64, was found lying on the street, in front of a child-care center. The neighborhood has been the scene of several murders in recent years.
Police on Tuesday recovered his vehicle, a 1979 Thunderbird, which was found minus its decorative gold rims. Some speculated that the assailants may have shot Exposito to get the rims.
Friends described Exposito as an adventuresome, semiretired former car dealer and golf lover who owned a driving range and, at times, lived in a cottage on the site.
More recently, Exposito had been living with a young woman in an apartment complex in Independence, Mo., neighbors said.
McCaskill, a Democrat running for the U.S. Senate, had been married to Exposito for 11 years when the couple divorced in 1995. The two have three children, who reside with McCaskill and her current husband, Joseph Shepard, in Kirkwood. The children, two daughters, 14 and 16, and a son, 18, have the last name of Esposito, having changed it from Exposito.
The son, Austin, on Tuesday praised his father as "the most unbelievable man you could meet in your life" who emphasized to his children that "everybody is worth caring about."
Steve Groom, a friend and frequent customer at the driving range, said Exposito often sought to help the homeless by giving them temporary jobs at the range. Exposito more recently had leased the range's operations to the sons of a friend, said Groom, who last saw Exposito at a golf course a few months ago.
McCaskill rarely discusses the details of the marriage. Introduced by friends, the two married in 1984 while she was a state legislator.
McCaskill was serving as Jackson County prosecutor when Exposito was arrested on a gambling boat in 1994 for marijuana possession. She was publicly angry, and a year later the couple divorced.
In recent years, friends said the two had a civil relationship that revolved around the children.
In a statement issued Tuesday, McCaskill said, "Obviously, this is an incredibly difficult time for me and my children, as they grieve the loss of their father. I will be spending time with my children to help them through this terrible loss, and I know others will respect my family's privacy at this tragic time."
Democratic activists dismissed any talk that Exposito's death would have an impact on McCaskill's campaign for the Senate against Republican incumbent Jim Talent.
Talent called McCaskill on Tuesday to offer his condolences, said Talent campaign consultant Lloyd Smith.
At the scene of the crime, residents of the northeast Kansas City neighborhood were more concerned about the bloodshed than the victim's ties to a public figure.
"I don't want this violence going on around here," said Pinkie Crockett. The murder occurred within feet of Crockett's doorstep.
A co-owner of the day care center, who did not want to be identified, said the violence was nothing new for the neighborhood. He recounted at least three murders within blocks over the past few years.
"It can't get much worse," he said.
Those prior murders drew little attention to the neighborhood, but on Tuesday there were at least three news trucks.