A Barrington man accused of fatally shooting his wife in January is now free on bond after family and friends pooled the money to meet the requirements of his $3 million bail, authorities said.
Prosecutors said Larry Lotz fatally shot his wife in the couple’s home Jan. 15 following an argument over a coffee pot.
On Monday, Judge Daniel Shanes refused to lower the $3 million bail, but defense attorney Robert Hauser said Lotz’s family and friends — including his three sons — came up with the $300,000 necessary for him to be released that afternoon.
Lotz is not staying in the Barrington home he shared with his wife, said Hauser, who declined to disclose Lotz’s location. Assistant State’s Attorney Lauren Kalcheim Rothenberg said Lotz is in a hospital.
Hauser has said Lotz has post-traumatic stress disorder from his Vietnam War service and an insanity defense is being considered. He added Lotz is getting the treatment he “was not getting in jail.”
“He’s not a danger to anybody,” Hauser said. “His pretrial report included one of the lowest scores ever (in terms of) risk to re-offend.”
During a Thursday hearing, Rothenberg asked Shanes to require Lotz to wear a leg monitor. Shanes scheduled a hearing on that request for May 12.
Other already-existing conditions of the bond include no possession of firearms and a weekly telephone report for probation. Hauser said Lotz will report daily.
Rothenberg also requested that Shanes order all guns inside the couple’s Barrington home to be turned over to police. Hauser told the court the guns would be taken at least 50 miles away from the home.
It is unclear if Lotz plans to return to the home, but Hauser said he poses no threat. Shanes did not address the gun issue Thursday.
Hauser had claimed that when the state opposed lowering the bond, it was “putting up every roadblock” to prevent Lotz from receiving treatment.
“His sons are the victims, and now they are close to being bankrupt (after posting the bond),” Hauser said.
He added the sons realize the alleged act was out of character and their father was suffering from mental problems.
Lotz was arrested Jan. 15 after he called 911 and told dispatchers he had shot his wife, Karen Lotz, authorities said. He was later indicted on first-degree murder charges.
Officers responding to the 911 call reportedly found that Karen Lotz had been shot three times, including once in the head. Prosecutors said Larry Lotz shot his wife after she followed him into a home office following an argument about him having left a coffee maker on in their kitchen.
After police arrived, Larry Lotz told them where to find the gun he allegedly used, and the weapon was recovered from the scene, officials said. Larry Lotz gave a videotaped statement in which he admitted shooting his wife, prosecutors said.
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