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Gulfport Suspect Dies In Pennsylvania Car Wreck

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TBO.com

Published: August 21, 2008

GULFPORT - A 38-year-old St. Petersburg man suspected of planning to kill his ex-wife in Pinellas County was killed in a head-on wreck while fleeing from police in Pennsylvania, and the driver of the car his vehicle smashed in to was killed, too, Gulfport police said.

Gulfport police learned of Kevin Messinger's death Wednesday. The other driver was identified as Jolene C. Labar, 31, of Washington Township, Pa. Messinger was fleeing from Palmer Township, Pa., police at the time of the wreck.

At 11:20 p.m. Aug. 9, Messinger forced his way into a Gulfport home with a gun and told the occupants he would kill them if they didn't tell him where to find his ex-wife, Lt. Robert Vincent wrote in a prepared statement.

The ex-wife was not at the home, and when one of the occupants got a chance to call 911, Messinger left and drove away in a Ford Mustang, Vincent said. Messinger's ex-wife was moved to a place of safety because of the threat, Vincent said, and investigators worked with prosecutors to issue a warrant for Messinger's arrest.

Gulfport authorities received several leads regarding Messinger's whereabouts - and what vehicle he was driving - and learned Wednesday he had been identified as the driver in the fatal wreck.

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