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Plano shooter's alcohol level was 4 times legal limit, autopsy says

Spencer James Hight, 32, was killed by police at the scene of the shooting at his ex-wife's home on West Spring Creek Parkway.
Spencer Hight

The Plano man who killed eight people at a party in September had a blood-alcohol level that was four times the legal limit, according to an autopsy released Monday.

Spencer James Hight, 32, was killed by police at the scene of the shooting at his ex-wife's home on West Spring Creek Parkway.

Hight killed his ex-wife, Meredith Hight, and seven friends during a Cowboys watch party.

Hight's blood-alcohol level was 0.33, according to the autopsy. He had been shot three times by police, the autopsy said.

The other seven people killed in the shooting were:

  • 33-year-old Anthony Michael Cross
  • 24-year-old Olivia Nicole Deffner
  • 29-year-old James Richard Dunlop
  • 22-year-old Darryl William Hawkins
  • 31-year-old Rion Christopher Morgan
  • 28-year-old Myah Sade Bass
  • 25-year-old Caleb Seth Edwards

Debbie Lane, Meredith Hight's mother, told WFAA that her daughter had filed for divorce in July.

"She told us he was an alcoholic and that she worked for two years to try and help him," Debbie Lane said.

Spencer Hight moved out in March and crashed for a few weeks at Dunlop's home, according to what Meredith told her parents.

They both thought after the divorce perhaps Hight would be able to carry on independent of their daughter.

"He was a very talented and artistic person, but he just didn’t have coping skills," Gene said.

“I don’t think he was crazy, I think we make choices consciously," Debbie Lane said. "He was not stupid. I think he chose evil."

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