Father's life forever changed by son's death

Tim Anthony said his entire life came to a standstill Sept. 10, the day his 14-year-old son Mark was shot and killed by a classmate in Fallon.

"Everything seems to be out of whack. The whole planet does not seem to be operating properly," Anthony said Thursday. "I'm up here operating on auto-pilot."

Anthony was in Fallon last week to attend a hearing to determine what would happen to Josh Murphy, 14, the boy who pointed a 12-gauge shotgun at Mark and pulled the trigger. Police and prosecutors determined the shooting, which took place at Murphy's house, was accidental.

The grieving father, who lives in Sacramento, said he dropped out of law school after his son was killed because it was impossible to concentrate on his studies. He said he is often emotional and lashes out at others.

"I don't know how my fiancee puts up with me," Anthony said. "I say and do things I would never do before Sept. 10."

Mark had been in Fallon less than two weeks before the fatal accident. He persuaded his father to let him move to Nevada to live with his mother, Anthony said, after living in California with his father since he was 6 years old.

Anthony said he was torn about allowing Mark to live in Fallon and allowed Mark's grandmother to make the final determination, a decision that now racks him with guilt. He and his mother are now estranged.

"Ultimately it was my responsibility as Mark's parent. I allowed him to come to Fallon," Anthony said. "I feel guilty for that. I went against my instincts."

He wants Josh Murphy and his mother, Darcie Murphy, to do time for the death of his son. Murphy was ordered into a juvenile correctional facility Wednesday by Judge Robert E. Estes. Darcie Murphy is facing charges related to the shooting.

Anthony, 41, would like to see Josh incarcerated until he is 21 years old. He'd like to see the mother imprisoned for life.

"The judge, the law and the system is the only thing that separates us from social breakdown," he said. "This was caused by a series of events. Any of the decisions (Josh) made personally could have stopped this. He might not have intended to kill Mark but he disregarded all the risks involved. He should pay.

"I told the judge it would be an insult to me and my son to allow that boy out on the streets. He's committed one of the worst sins. He took a human life that can never be replaced. I looked forward to having grandchildren. I'm never going to get to do that."

As for Darcie Murphy, Anthony said Josh's actions didn't happen in a vacuum but were allowed by his mother.

"She has to held accountable, too. There's nothing that's going to bring my son back, I know that, but if you allow someone to have a gun you have to be responsible. ... She is equally as culpable as Josh is."

Anthony remembers his son as a good kid who never got in trouble in school. He helped tutor younger children who had trouble in reading. Any call home from a teacher was a complimentary one, he said.

He recalled one Christmas when money was tight because of the high cost of college and living in California in a decent neighborhood. Mark showed wisdom beyond his years when Anthony asked his son if they could celebrate Christmas a little later than usual.

"Mark looked at me and said, 'It doesn't matter. We have each other,'" Anthony said. "He didn't even bat an eye. He didn't complain. That was from his heart."

Anthony will return to Churchill County every time there is court connected to his son's death.

He said he was disturbed that Josh didn't apologize to him for taking Mark's life.

"That tells me he hasn't learned his lesson. The hours haven't been dark enough yet," Anthony said. "To even think of letting him out would be a travesty of justice.

"He took something that's irreplaceable and he ruined a lot of lives. People forget about the victim. Mark was a boy who would have done some fantastic things."

Contact reporter Marlene Garcia at mgarcia@lahontanvalleynews.com