Salem, OR – A Salem man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to charges related to the fatal shooting of a man at Geer Park in August 2022.
The incident occurred in the early hours of August 27, when 56-year-old Thomas Patrick Healy shot and killed Scott George Tanner, 47, during a confrontation at the park. Tanner, who was homeless at the time, was reportedly with his wife, Debby Clark, when the altercation took place. According to authorities, Healy pulled out a firearm during the altercation and shot Tanner in the neck, fatally wounding him.
Healy fled the scene shortly after the shooting, but authorities apprehended him a few days later in Bend, Oregon. Healy, who had been released from prison in 2020 under a COVID-19-related clemency program, was charged with second-degree murder and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
While the events leading up to the shooting remain unclear, Debby Clark, Tanner’s wife, has expressed that nearly three years later, she still has no idea what sparked the argument that resulted in her husband’s death. Despite an investigation, the motive for the altercation remains a mystery, leaving Clark with unresolved questions.
Clark has been vocal about her grief and confusion in the aftermath of the tragedy, saying the lack of clarity about what triggered the fatal fight has made the situation even more difficult to process. Healy’s sentencing has brought some closure to the case, but for Clark, the lingering uncertainty over the fight’s origins remains a painful reminder of the loss.
As Healy begins his 15-year prison sentence, the community continues to reflect on the violence that took place in the seemingly quiet setting of Geer Park—a tragedy that has left an indelible mark on those who knew Tanner, especially his grieving widow.
