Washington – A Colorado woman who fought for punishment of the men who killed her husband in Indonesia commended Sen. Wayne Allard on Tuesday for helping secure their imprisonment.
“I just cannot thank you enough for the role you played,” Patsy Spier, 49, of Centennial told Allard at his office.
Spier’s visit here marked her 21st trip to Congress since her husband, Rick, was killed in Jakarta, Indonesia, in 2002. This trip was different, however. This time she came in “celebration,” she said.
Antonius Wamang was convicted and in November sentenced to life in prison in Spier’s killing. Two accomplices received seven-year sentences and four other accomplices were sentenced to 18 months in prison.
“The outcome is better than what we anticipated,” Allard said. “Frankly, it was because of her perseverance.”
Patsy and Rick Spier were living in Indonesia while working as elementary school teachers. On Aug. 31, 2002, they were in a caravan returning home from a picnic when Wamang and others fired at them.
Ted Burgon, 71, of Oregon and Indonesian instructor Bambang Riwanto also were killed. A 6-year-old girl was injured.
Rick Spier, 41, and others in the caravan taught children of employees at a mine run by U.S.-based Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc.
The killers belonged to a group fighting for an independent state in Papua. The Associated Press reported during the trial that the killers mistakenly attacked the caravan, thinking it carried soldiers.
Patsy Spier began lobbying in 2003 for lawmakers to help compel Indonesian authorities to investigate the killing. Allard in October 2003 offered a legislative amendment that cut off $400,000 in funds for military training until the U.S. Secretary of State certified there had been cooperation in investigating the killings.
Indonesia then allowed U.S. FBI agents into the country to investigate, which turned up evidence that ultimately helped the case, Spier said.
