LIBERTY, Mo. — A community still in shock that a metro area lawyer is accused of killing her father now learns that she has posted her very large bond.
Susan Elizabeth Van Note, known as Liz, is now out of jail after posting a $1 million cash bond. Van Note, a metro area lawyer, faces first degree murder and forgery charges in a bizarre case that has attracted international news attention.
The crime dates back two years to October 2, 2010. Van Note is accused of shooting her father and his long-time companion, who died right away. But while Van Note’s father fought for his life in the hospital, prosecutors say his daughter forged documents giving her the right to take him off life support.
Friends of the victims hadn’t yet heard that Van Note was out on bond and possibly headed back to her Lee’s Summit home. Brenda Toates owns the D’Agee flower shop in Liberty and still has the black wreath on her door marking two years since her friends’ deaths.
“It’s sad and it’s horrific to think a family member would do that,” said Toates. “Everyone says it’s greed.”
Toates knew the victims William Van Note and Sharon Dickson very well. Sharon was her boss at the flower shop before Brenda took over and Bill was her landlord.
“He’d come in and have a big joke,” she said. “He was just larger than life, always having something funny to say.”
Brenda’s frequent customer and friend Susan Skillman agrees. She grew up with Bill. They were close for years and she adored Sharon.
“She was beyond sweet,” said Skillman. “Always good to everybody, put up with (Bill’s) shenanigans.”
Skillman said the couple looked forward to fully retiring, and finally after more than two decades together, they planned to marry.
“We know it’s a terrible tragedy. They had the best part of their lives ahead, they were so excited about it,” said Skillman.
Skillman said she went to the funeral and spoke to Liz Van Note there, but now that Van Note is charged with her father’s murder, that conversation gives her pause.
“Is it possible I could be talking to her and she had really murdered her father? It’s beyond belief,” said Skillman.
Liz Van Note isn’t the only one charged with the crime. Investigators said she had a high school classmate and her spouse, Stacey and Desre Dory, witness the signing of the forged documents that gave Van Note the power to take her father off life support. They face charges of second degree murder and forgery. They have pleaded not guilty and their lawyer said he believes they “will be vindicated.”
