TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — A judge ruled Monday that the man who shot and killed University of Arizona Atmospheric Sciences Professor Thomas Meixner will go to prison for the rest of his life. Right after the sentencing, Dr. Meixner’s wife Kathleen was gracious enough to sit down for an interview with KGUN 9’s Craig Smith.
Kathleen Meixner is under her own life sentence, imposed by Murad Dervish. She must live a life without the husband she loved so much. But part of how she is moving forward is by working to reduce the risk that a murderer will strike someone else.
“The day that we lost Tom is completely unbelievable and surreal."
Kathleen Meixner paused several times as she said, “The day that we lost Tom is completely unbelievable and surreal. To sit in Banner Hospital with my two boys and hear that there was nothing that could be done to repair Tom's beautiful heart, and that he was gone.”
Kathleen Meixner and her family lived in fear of Murad Dervish long before he came to campus and killed her husband. That was the climax of months of threats by the expelled graduate student.
At trial, Mrs. Meixner, her family, and a large group of friends endured hard testimony on how Dervish chased down Tom Meixner and shot him nine times.
Kathleen Meixner sat through it all—for Tom, his UA Department, and for the witnesses who watched him shot down.
She says, “They tried to save Tom. They helped him as he died, and they prayed with him and I just wanted to also be there for them.”
WATCH FULL INTERVIEW:
Now instead of retreating, she moves forward.
UA took plenty of criticism because Meixner and other professors reported Dervish’s threats but Dervish was still free to kill.
Now she is working with university leaders to defuse dangers like Murad Dervish.
“What is the learning that has occurred from this tragedy? That's really, really what I want them to be focusing on. What is the learning that has occurred? And based on that learning, what are you doing differently?
And she hopes Arizona will pass laws to make it easier to confiscate guns from someone who’s clearly a threat.
Photos of Thomas Meixner shared with KGUN 9 by the Meixner family:
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Craig Smith is a reporter for KGUN 9. With more than 40 years of reporting in cities like Tampa, Houston and Austin, Craig has covered more than 40 Space Shuttle launches and covered historic hurricanes like Katrina, Ivan, Andrew and Hugo. Share your story ideas and important issues with Craig by emailing craig.smith@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook and Twitter.