Westmark Credit Union Mourns Employee Killed in Branch
Brittany Lugaresi was murdered by her estranged husband Michael Lugaresi, police say.
The $1.3 billion Westmark Credit Union community in Idaho Falls is mourning the death of one of its employees, Brittany Lugaresi, who was fatally shot by her estranged husband Michael Lugaresi last Wednesday in the credit union’s branch in Eagle, Idaho.
“Brittany will live on in our hearts forever. Our other Eagle Branch teammates are recovering and receiving all the emotional, psychological, and physical help and support that we can give,” Heather McMillan, marketing manager for Westmark’s western region, wrote in a letter to the Eagle Chamber of Commerce, which the business group posted on its LinkedIn site on Sunday. “They are doing as well as can be expected, please keep them in your hearts and minds.”
Eagle Police detectives said Michael Lugaresi entered the Eagle branch just after 1 p.m. on March 8 and fatally shot Brittany Lugaresi while she was eating lunch with another unidentified woman. He also shot and injured that woman.
He then walked out of the branch and shot himself in the credit union’s parking lot, according to police. Michael Lugaresi was transported to a hospital where he died on Thursday.
The other woman was transported to a hospital where she was treated for serious but non-life threatening injuries, according to police. Detectives said this woman was not targeted by Michael Lugaresi and was likely shot because she was sitting near Brittany.
Although the couple had been going through a divorce, according to Eagle Police detectives, there had been no reports of domestic violence at the couple’s Meridian home.
The incident occurred just five days after a member of the $16.2 billion Suncoast Credit Union in Tampa, Fla., was fatally shot by a suspect who was recently arrested and charged with first-degree murder.
“On behalf of everyone at Westmark Credit Union, THANK YOU. As you can imagine, this has been an unbelievably difficult time for our Westmark CU family,” McMillan wrote. “We have received such an incredible outpouring of love and support from our community, media partners, members, other credit unions, family, associates, vendors, business partners and friends of Westmark during this unimaginable time and we will be forever grateful for the support.”
In response to the many people from the Westmark community who have reached out asking how they can help, assist or where they can make donations of support, McMillan said that Westmark has set up a donation account that will directly benefit Brittany’s minor daughter.
Anyone wishing to make a donation to the Brittany Murphy Lugaresi Donation Account is asked to contact a Westmark branch listed on its website.