Jaime Taccetta's mom visits Medford pharmacy
Pat Taccetta, facing camera, mother of pharmacy shooting victim Jaime Taccetta, is consoled by her friend Maryann Stark, in front of the Haven Drugs Pharmacy in Medford on the one-year-anniversary of the shooting. (June 19, 2012) Credit: James Carbone
Sheila Sheffield spent the morning Tuesday morning with her family, surrounded by her late husband's handiwork and eating at his favorite Bellport diner.
Pat Taccetta pledged in her daughter's memory to be an advocate against the abuse of prescription painkillers.
Raymond Ferguson's family left New York for a week to mark the one-year anniversary of his death together.
Tuesday marked the anniversary date of the Medford pharmacy shootings that left four dead on Father's Day last year. Shot and killed at close range were pharmacist Raymond Ferguson, 45; drugstore employee Jennifer Mejia, 17; and customers Bryon Sheffield, 71, and Jaime Taccetta, 33.
All were slain by David Laffer, who wanted pain pills for himself and his wife, Melinda Brady. The killings riveted the Medford community and put a spotlight on the prescription painkiller-abuse epidemic affecting Long Island. Laffer and Brady are serving lengthy prison terms.
"Yesterday [Monday] I was sort of a basket case," said Sheila Sheffield, Bryon Sheffield's widow. "I have my family with me today [Tuesday]. I'm not alone. Maybe tomorrow [Wednesday] but not today."
Sheffield, who said she's "doing the best I can," drove with her family past Haven Drugs Tuesday but didn't stop. She spent the morning with her family visiting the church where her husband crafted a wooden memory box, and they later ate at The Royal Oak.
Todd Greenberg, attorney for Ferguson's widow Sabrina, said she and family members decided to observe the anniversary outside of New York. "They wanted to concentrate and think about Raymond alone," he said.
Mejia's family could not be reached Tuesday.
Pat Taccetta arrived at the pharmacy shortly after 10:20 a.m., about the time her daughter was shot, accompanied by her mother, brother and son.
She relit two candles that she and her son Daniel had placed on a concrete bench next to the pharmacy on Sunday, Father's Day. "This should've never happened," Pat Taccetta said. Consoled by her son, Taccetta stood in front of the pharmacy bench where on Sunday she also placed a photograph of her daughter. The framed photograph was missing, presumably taken by a stranger.
Sarra Sounds Off, Ep.16: From Island to island, how football helped overcome tragedy Newsday's Gregg Sarra talks to Carey football player James McGrath about how he has persevered after losing his parents at a young age, and to the Lahainaluna (Hawaii) High School football coach about how his team persevered after the Maui wildfires of 2023, plus a behind-the-scenes look at the All-Long Island teams photo shoot.
Sarra Sounds Off, Ep.16: From Island to island, how football helped overcome tragedy Newsday's Gregg Sarra talks to Carey football player James McGrath about how he has persevered after losing his parents at a young age, and to the Lahainaluna (Hawaii) High School football coach about how his team persevered after the Maui wildfires of 2023, plus a behind-the-scenes look at the All-Long Island teams photo shoot.
