On August 19, 1997, at about 2:30, New Hampshire state trooper Scott Phillips stopped Drega in the parking lot of LaPerle's IGA supermarket in neighboring Colebrook for having too much rust on his pickup truck. Drega got out of his truck with his rifle and fired upon Trooper Phillips. Trooper Phillips was hit but returned fire before retreating into a nearby field. Drega followed Phillips into the field and murdered him. Trooper Leslie Lord pulled into the LaPerle's parking lot moments later, and from approximately 150 feet (45.72 m) away, Drega shot and killed Lord before he could even get out of his police car. Drega then stole Phillips' police car, and drove to the office of Colebrook District Court judge Vickie Bunnell to murder her. Bunnell reportedly carried a handgun in her purse out of fear of Drega, but may not have had it with her that day. Seeing Drega approaching the building with his rifle, she warned fellow staffers to evacuate as she ran for an exit. Drega shot Bunnell in the back from a range of about , killing her. Dennis Joos, editor of the local "Colebrook News and Sentinel", attempted to disarm Drega after Bunnell fell. During the struggle Drega shot and killed Joos.