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Intel campus murder: Wife of slain worker shares her grief
A week after a man she called her soulmate was killed in an attack at Intel's Ocotillo campus in Chandler, FOX 10's Justin Lum is speaking with Claudia Foster, a woman in mourning as she faces the future of being a single mother to a teenage boy.
PHOENIX - One week after a deadly attack at the Intel campus in Chandler, the wife of a man who was killed in the incident is talking about what happened.
The incident happened on Feb. 18 at the chipmaker's Ocotillo campus in Chandler. Chandler Police said officers arrived at the scene at about 6:15 a.m., and found one person "who was fatally injured from what appears to be blunt-force trauma."
That person who died, according to a statement released by Chandler Police officials, was identified as 49-year-old Dan Foster, who was eating breakfast in the cafeteria at the time of the attack.
The suspect was identified as 50-year-old Derrick Lemond Simmons. He was taken into custody at the scene, and is currently accused of premeditated first degree murder and aggravated assault.
Read More: Man killed co-worker at Chandler Intel facility with baseball bat: court documents
Widow: Victim loved his job
Foster's wife, Claudia, spoke out about the victim and her grief on Feb. 24.
While Claudia did not want to show her face on camera, saying it is all so painful, she did talk about a person who she said was her soulmate.
"I pointed and said ‘I’m gonna marry him some day,’" said Claudia.
Foster worked at Intel for a little more than two decades, in what can be said was his dream job.
"When he was seven, he told his mother he wanted to work for Intel," said Claudia.
Claudia said grief hit her recently, as she sat in Foster's 1969 Cadillac vehicle.
"I broke down, and I just told him how much I loved him and how sorry I was," said Claudia.
According to investigators, Simmons allegedly hit Foster multiple times in the head with a baseball bat, and then pulled out a hatchet and knife to stab Foster to death. Another co-worker tried to defend Foster, but was struck as well.
"Baseball bat was hard enough to hear but, when I heard the hatchet, and Detective Duncan told me it was the most gruesome case that he has seen in his career," said Claudia.
Claudia said she saw the scene on the news that morning before an officer showed up to tell her what happened
"When it hit me, I just lost it," said Claudia. "Then my son, bless his heart, he lost it. We just bawled our eyes out."
Victim and suspect had arguments in the past, documents state
According to court documents, Foster and Simmons had workplace arguments in the past, which led to Simmons being moved to another work area.
"I can’t imagine how there would be an altercation so horrible that you have to plan to take someone’s life," said Claudia.
The deadly attack turned Claudia into a widow and single mother to a 14-year-old son.
"He hasn’t had his first girlfriend yet or first kiss or homecoming graduation," said Claudia. "He wanted to go to ASU, and dad’s not gonna be there for any of that. It’s heartbreaking."
Foster would have turned 50 in June.
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Dan Foster