Comedy Club Owner's Last Act Was Far From Laughable

A terminally ill Arizona comedy club owner died in Alaska after attempting to kill his ex-wife and succeeding in killing her father, police say. Authorities say 61-year-old Mathew Thomas Becker first shot at his ex-wife as she tried to unlock the doors of her Anchorage hair salon on Saturday, reports the Anchorage Daily News. The woman reportedly ran and hid from Becker before calling police around 9:30am, saying she feared for her father, who lived nearby. Minutes later, police found the father, 87-year-old Romaine Clark, dead from gunshot wounds inside his home. Police say Becker opened fire through a back window, killing Clark before fleeing.

Becker was charged with first-degree murder and third-degree assault while authorities searched for him, per Fox News. The manhunt ended Sunday morning when Becker was found dead in a wooded area in Eagle River, about 15 miles northeast of Anchorage, according to a statement. Officials have not yet released his cause of death. Becker's brother told reporters he had recently been diagnosed with terminal cancer and had been living in Arizona, where he owned Chuckleheads comedy club. The ex-wife reported she had no idea he'd returned to Alaska after moving to Arizona following their divorce. Clark was a regular at the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, where he handed out food and drinks to competitors, per the Daily News.