Vincent Scanlon

Vincent was a resident and chairman of the local code enforcement board in Umatilla, and served as Code Enforcement Officer for Lake County for about 6 years. He went to investigate code violations at his property after receiving complaints from local officials. In the 3 months leading up to the shooting, the property owner, Carl Peschke, built an unpermitted bait shop and had a confrontation with Scanlon who confirmed he would need a building permit and variance for selling propane. Vincent then went to the property with his 5-year-old grandson. Peschke confronted Scanlon over a sketch of a site plan. When Vincent entered the building, Peschke shot him point-blank in the head and three more times in front of his grandson. The gun and code violations file were hidden. Police responded due to calls from neighbors who heard the gunshots. The 5 year old grandson testified against Peschke. A plea bargain was made to only sentence Peschke to 10 years in prison due to the lack of witnesses and evidence needed to convict on first degree murder. Vincent Scanlon was 58 years old and left behind a wife and a three year old child. Based on a 1989 article, he served 3 years and was released on time earned and multiplied good behavior credits. He appealed the charge in 1987 claiming he suffered from temporary insanity and having a bad attorney.