A Leesburg woman that friends and coworkers describe as beautiful, genuine and hardworking is dead, while her husband is behind bars and facing a murder charge.
 Cacey Combs-Lafleur |
Police found the body of Catherine “Cacey” Ann Combs-Lafleur, 59, Sept. 18 at the Lime Kiln Road home she shared with her husband, Steven H. Combs-Lafleur, 61.
Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office deputies were called to the home shortly before 8:30 p.m. after receiving a report of someone being injured from a fall.
When they arrived, Cacey Combs-Lafleur was dead, and her injuries were more consistent with those from an assault rather than a fall, Sheriff’s Office spokesman Kraig Troxell said.
After the investigation, police charged Steven Combs-Lafleur with first-degree murder. He remains held without bond at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center.
Troxell said that there was no police history of domestic violence at the Combs-Lafleur home prior to Sept. 18.
Cacey’s friends and coworkers from across the country are mourning her death.
She worked as a graphic designer for CH2M HILL for more than 30 years.
“I’m completely devastated by Cacey’s death, as she was such a kind, genuine and warm person,” said Jennifer Baer, who works at CH2M HILL’s Denver headquarters.
She added that the “completely honest outpouring of love and grief for Cacey” has been shown universally throughout the company.
“We would be hurt by the loss of any coworker, but Cacey was special,” Baer said. “She touched so many people in this company, across the entire nation, and all in a positive way. She lit up any room she entered, and the world is dimmed by her loss.”
According to coworker Becky Holzwarth, Cacey’s group member, Cacey will live on through everyone from CH2M HILL who knew her.
“She made you become a better person,” Holzwarth said.
Another coworker, Elizabeth Minyard, remembers Cacey as professional, creative and smart, a woman everyone will sorely miss.
“Personally, I don’t remember a time when she didn’t have a smile on her face or a positive word to share to keep everyone on the team working together and feeling good about our jobs,” Minyard said.
“She was always willing to learn something new and gave her best work 100 percent of the time. ‘No’ did not exist in her vocabulary; if you wanted something unique, she figured out how to make it possible.”
Outside of work, Cacey touched the hearts of everyone she met, according to friends.
Her ex-husband, Larry Cottone, met Cacey in 1973 while the two were students at Old Dominion College in Norfolk.
They married in 1974 but separated in 1981. Cottone called the separation “peaceful and loving.”
“Cacey was the most unconditionally loving person that I have ever known,” Cottone said. “She taught me to see the world in nonjudgmental and appreciative ways; especially the beauty and energy of nature.”
DC Bell and his girlfriend live as tenants on the Combs-Lafleur property on Lime Kiln Road.
He said they both really liked Cacey and he is “deeply shocked and saddened” by what happened.
“When you were talking with her, she wasn’t just waiting for a chance to talk, but instead you could tell she cared about you,” Bell said. “I don’t have good words for everyone I meet, but Cacey was a beautiful woman in every aspect.”
Outside of Leesburg, Cacey had many friends near her vacation home, The Sea Turtle, in North Carolina’s Outer Banks.
Susan Van Gieson is one of those friends. She said that Cacey was always someone she could turn to.
“She was so talented and beautiful and supported me in my endeavors,” Van Gieson said. “Knowing how special she was, I believe it is true that she would like to be remembered for her strength, beauty and generous spirit. I have nothing but the greatest respect for her and will keep my heart open to beautiful things, as she was a great witness to the beauty in this world.”
One of those “beautiful things” was the sunset. Van Gieson said that she and other friends in North Carolina will have a service Sept. 22 in Cacey’s memory at the wading beach in front of The Sea Turtle. They will all wear purple, Cacey’s favorite color.
Locally, Colonial Funeral Home in Leesburg is handling arrangements. Once memorial information is available, it will be posted at http://www.colonialfuneralhome.com.
 | Cacey Combs-Lafleur |
Nice information thank you for sharing.
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Casey’s friend Andrew McKnight will be giving a concert 9 October, donations for Loudoun Abused Women’s Shelter (LAWS) - go, enjoy beautiful music & help raise awareness of abuse - hard to believe that this is still an issue - also although I am also baffled by apparent lack of information in re a memorial, it is possible that Casey’s family is still reeling from shock - this was just too awful an outcome, a horrible way for anyone to die let alone someone as sweet & loving as Cacey - 25+ years ago I gave her plants to start her garden @ Goose Hall, we shared a love of gardening & both our dads ex-Navy—
Domestic Violence; It’s EVERYBODY’S Business!
It is an epidemic affecting individuals in every community, regardless of age, economic status, race, religion, nationality or education…all backgrounds.
Please join me in (OCTOBER) supporting Domestic Violence Awareness Month!
Catherine “‘Casey” was my cousin from my fathers side of the family. We did not grow up together because my parents divorced. I will never have the opportunity to meet her…this is a travesty that should have never happened!
Does any one know of any memorial or other service to be held for the friends, neighbors, co-wokers? I am baffled by the lack of information available and the funeral home has no information.
Many thanks.
all submissions to editors and publishers are to use their own judgment as to what they will publish - there is discretion as to identities, and other information that law enforcement officials request not be published for various reasons - especially during investigations - it can ruin an entire investigation if information is leaked when it should not be.
please let the family of this woman mourn her loss, and rejoice having her in their life, be it for a short time.
don’t take this opportunity to badger or complain to the editor or publisher - contact them directly - and their contact information is on the website, as well as in the publication that they publish.
please, let us have respect for Cacey, and for those who have lost a loved one!
My significant other and Catherine (Cacey) are cousins. They hadn’t seen each other in maybe 40 years, but had talked on the phone numerous times. He and she were very close when they were young. Her death is a terrible thing to have happened. We are in Oregon and I have found this article about her. I can’t believe that people are posting comments about other deaths when the intent of this comment section is for those who are mourning Cacey’s loss. From what I have read, she will be greatly missed and was a wonderful person.
I miss Cacey so much, already. Cacey is someone I worked with on an almost weekly basis. She was never an inconvenience and always a welcome and calming “voice”(or email or voicemail). Out of the eight years I knew Cacey, I actually only saw her face about four times in my life, but those times will never leave my memory because of the person she was and the impact she had on me. Every time we saw each other, the greeting was never anything less than a tight hug. That’s just the kind of person she was and the kind of person she made me happy to be. I believe that like a candle, Cacey was born to share her fire and I fully believe she did just that. Gone, but NEVER forgotten, Cacey. You are loved.
I had never met Cacey, but am friends with a co-worker of hers who is mourning her loss. She was obviously a very special person to have touched so many people just in her work place alone, not to mention throughout all her travels in life.
“Gone, but not forgotten” is a term used in the military very often but I think it applies in this case. Rest in beautiful peace, Cacey.
To her friends and family, my thoughts and prayers are with you through this tragedy, I pray you find peace.
Coverup, I am the person who used the term insensitive. That was more toward the ugly words and arguments in this thread, the most recent one bing from “I said it” responding to Holly’s death as “one less person the taxpayers have to pay for”. Such a statement is not needed in a forum such as this. Nor does arguing over whether a handicapped person should type all caps or all lower case.
As for your situation. If you have read all of the posts here, the newspaper did respond and explain to you that the reason your story was not published was because it was written annonomously. I know that it has always been the policy of these papers that in order to have an editorial printed you must sign your name toit. Rewrite you letter and include your name, no reason to stay anonomous in such an important issue.
And to those that keep bringing up the other very sad and very important recent deaths. The newspaper has already reported all that is known about these cases and only withheld private and personal information on the suicide victim. If you missed that or have questions, going to a rememberance page like this is not the best way to deal with it. Call the newspaper or the police station and ask if there is anything new to report or to get the rumors verified or debunked.
To the family of Catherine Ann Combs-Lafleur, I meant no disrespect and I apologize if I hurt anyone’s feelings. There is a bigger picture here and for someone to attack me for being insensitive is an example of what is wrong in this community. You are missing the big picture. We are all grieving for the loss of human life. I am ashamed to live in this town and some of you made my case for me.
My deepest sympathy to Casey’s family.
I received a lot of support from GriefShare when I lost my husband a year back. Please look this up http://www.griefshare.com/ and may God give you’ll the strength to go through this terrible tragedy.
God Bless,
Jennifer Figueira
(former CH2M HILL employee—Washington)
All.. a personal read on this…it would certainly help if our local news outlets and law enforcement agencies would be more open and immediate with the sharing of information. It is absurd, in my mind, that our Sheriffs department has had no information for us on all of the mentioned tradegies.These are personal as well as publc saftey concerns.
In addition, there are no clear cut guidelines on this paper for comments. And the other “newspaper” has done little coverage of this terrible story. So folks are using what means they have to try and reach out. For information. To question. To ponder. Frankly, I think Casey would have understood. She was that way.
So. Reporter. In a SEPARATE story, can you cover the deatils of the crimes that commenters have asked about? Can you give us information in a SEPARATE story about the sheriff activity around the tragic death of Cacey? Can you tell us if there is a memorial planned for the family,friends, co-workers and neighbors?
Can you step up and help us all with trying to understand what is happening to the community around us?
From my own very personal perspective, and given the lack of direction from the newpaper, there is no right or wrong in the comments. But folks have rightly pointed out very common-sense approaches to comments: don’t shout with one hand, don’t give purient spectulation and try not to bring up completely unrelated topics with an agenda other that that which seems to be the common and commonsense thread.
Hearts out and hugs to all those suffering a loss this week. It has been a dreadful time for all of us.
Softness. And light. And purple!:)
JM
I have to say that I am disgusted by those of you that come here to bring your own agenda or to attack and insult one another. You people are incredibly ignorant and insensitive and obviously have no sense of respect for the human life lost and the loved ones who mourn her.
I did not know this woman but based on what I have learned from those here with the decency to stick to the topic and respect and honor the deceased, it sounds like she was a beautiful human being. May she rest in peace and may the man who robbed her of her life pay for this tragedy.
COVER UP - And why are you homeless? Huh? GOD isn’t helping you too much if you are still there. Get a job and stop living on my tax dollars. The way I see it, Holly is one less person we the tax payers have to pay for. Sorry but it is the truth. I know this is mean, but i am tired of all you people that think the county, state, and the US owes you something..
Yes a very well written article, but I hope he gets the maximum punishment for murder….this is getting old hearing about these beautiful women, murdered. also @coverup…. am sorry for your loss, and someone, anyone should of stepped up to take her in…..If I had known, I would of helped her.
We had a small, informal service at the wading beach yesterday. It was lovely and some dear friends attended, It was a beautiful day and her presence was felt strongly. We want to thank Peter and Mary for their incredible strength and hard work during this trying time.
Casey was someone so special; caring, “soft” spoken, wonderfully warm and gentle, smart and engaging, and to me, strikingly beautiful in every way. Over these past 30 years, when I’ve come down to Leesburg, all of us have spent time together with an opportunity to be with and around Cacey, enjoying her love and radiant demeanor, feeling safe and secure in her presence…I will miss her and the memories I share with so many others who found her to be such a terrific human being with a gentle, loving spirit that lives on within me and all those she touched. I am just one amongst so many who will miss her; one amongst so many who loved her.
People are just plain stupid. This article should soley be about Cacey and we have some stupid #### complaining about lack of coverage in other murder cases.
To those of you I don’t know, but will probably meet this weekend-I just want to say thank you for all the wonderful thoughts and stories about your times with my Aunt Cathy (to you all Cacey).
She told me wondeful stories about the places she traveled with many of you or on her own…each one of her friends very special, unique, and dear to her heart. She had a loving, carefree, vibrant soul who loved to travel the world- I one day wish I have the same type of courage and ambition to travel the world as she did. I am thankful that she had you all as friends because her life wouldn’t be complete without you all.
My heart aches with pain and will forever be heartbroken, but I am trying to be strong as she would be in times of deep pain. Again, I thank you all and she will live on through our pictures and memories.
I am looking forward to meeting all of those attending the memorial.
Thank you for these wonderful pictures of Cacey - now everyone can see the beauty that those of us who knew her saw.
I can certainly understand how you feel. It was not my intention to be disrespectful. You should know that I did write to the editor and did not receive a response. My letter was disregarded. Apparently a homeless person does not rate in this town. But I will not apologize for speaking out. It is my constitutionally right under the first amendment. I think that you are taking this very personally. The passing of a human being under tragic conditions like your friend Cacey and my friend Holly experienced is tragic. You can call me names but I will still speak out. Jesus reached out to the oppressed and sick and poor. I believe that God takes those that are suffering and cannot help them selves. I hope this is some consolation for your friend, Cacey.
I think it is so rude and disrespectful to post a comment here that does not pertain to the tragic death of Cacey! She is someone’s family, friend and loved one. For anyone to take the opportunity to use this comment section to do anything other than express their sympathies for their loss is just disgusting , disrespectful, and just flat out wrong. If you have a question or an issue with the newspaper send them an email directly or call them don’t use someone else tragedy to post “your issues”. I didn’t know Cacey but my thoughts and prayers go out to all of those that know and love her. May the wonderful memories you have with her help you though your sadness and grief.
Devastating…heartbreaking…and just utterly wrong.
Beautiful - Cacey lighting up like she so easily did, and in her beautiful home that she loved so much, regardless of the weekend’s tragedy. Thank you Jana for the tribute and for helping us start this long slow journey. Sharing these two pictures is really appreciated.
Thank you so much for posting her picture. This is how we will remember her always, smiling, genuine and beautiful.
Thank you for including this beautiful picture of our precious Cacey. My hope and prayer is that this is how we will remember her - alive, vibrant, smiling, loving, and wonderful. And that memories of her amazing spirit will help us all get through this terrible time of grief. Love you, Gurlfren.
From the reporter: The investigation into the death of Cornelia Maria Adams, the woman found dead in the burnt shed near Ball’s Bluff, is still happening. No one has been arrested, and police have not released any new details. When the status of that case changes, it will be reported. The person who was found in the park a few days later took his own life and was in no way connected to Ms. Adams’ death, which was reported. We do not print names of suicide victims or details of why he/she took his/her life, as it is a private matter.
If you have questions about the status of any other case, please e-mail me at jwagoner@timespapers.com. Please try to keep the comments on this story relevant to Cacey, the subject of the story. Thank you.
What happened to the poor woman whose burned body was found in Balls Bluff park recently? The kids at Heritage High School say her husband killed her and he had been arrested but there has been no mention of this in any newspapers. What gives?
Then there was a teen body found in the park with never a follow up. Again, details filtered out of the high school that this teen was distraught over a sibling’s death, but since nothing appeared in the paper, many parents were thinking this teen was murdered and they were afraid to let their own kids out.
Newspapers need to follow up on these stories!
From the Reporter:
To coverup, we did not run your letter because we do not run anonymous letters in our newspaper, only those that give the writer’s name and town. I have looked into the incident you are describing, and police are in contact with your friend’s family. The preliminary ruling in the case is suicide. Detectives are awaiting the results of a toxicology report from the Medical Examiner to make that official. If you have any further information, Leesburg Police would love to hear from you.
To everyone else, I removed Mr. Combs-Lafleur’s photo from this story since it is in the original posting about the arrest and does not need to be here. It had to accompany the article in the print edition since it’s the only print edition we’ve had since this happened. If anyone has a picture of Cacey he or she is willing to let me post to the article, please e-mail it to jwagoner@timespapers.com. I had one yesterday, but the person who took the photo decided that she did not want it to be used, so I had to honor that request.
Casey showed those she met how to live fully, love, and enjoy life. She leaves big footprints for us to fill. We loved her, we miss her, and we know she’s going to make her next grand adventure a better place, too.
Yes, please take his picture down. This is a story about her not him. His mug shot here is totally tasteless..show some judgement!
With regard to Holly, Holly needed more help than her friends could give her. And they tried. It is not about blame. It is about someone stepping up to the plate and having the guts to audit our mental health system. It is about being accountable so the next homeless person does not have to die. If you are in the upper or even middle economic bracket in this County, then your perspective is going to be different than mine. I cannot turn the other cheek when I see something like this happening in the town that I grew up in. I have been homeless and I do not blame the system. I embrace any opportunity that God presents to me where I can better myself and the world around me.
To the person that thinks I am blaming others about Holly’s death: If you knew the real story, you would have a different perspective. Many of us did try to help her. Her case is one that should not have slipped through the cracks. Be careful about judging others before you know the truth.
We at CH2M HILL are stunned by the loss of Cacie. Why would anyone do something like that to such a beautiful person is beyond making sense to any of us. The world is a sadder place now.
Can you please post a photo of Cacey and take the one down of Steven? It is her life we are celebrating. thanks
A clarification: Leesburg Police and Loudoun Co. Sheriff Dept are separate organizations. Cacey and Steven lived a good 15 minutes from Leesburg - in that zip code is the only thing “Leesburg” about it. The media simply pick the nearby town and associate it for simplicity, but truly here we are talking about rural Loudoun.
There are now memorials planned Friday and Saturday for friends and co-workers, and a guest book courtesy of one of the local funeral homes, and those remembrances will be shared with Cacey’s family.
To coverup. Sorry for your friend Holly’s passing. I’m not sure why you are blaming her employer, the Loudoun County mental health department, the Loudoun County police department, etc. If she was your friend, why didn’t you help her? You also said she had a son and sister. Again, why didn’t they help her? Stop blaming others in Holly’s death.
I was fortunate enough to have Cacey pass through my life in the 1970’s, again in the late 1980’s and then again, for lunch, one day a couple years ago. She was and is one of the special people.
Paul Martin
@ Susan - I’ll see you in Kitty Hawk this afternoon.
Thank you for this article - Cacey was a beautiful, gentle soul - FAR beyond a “co-worker”. Her touch reached wide and far. We are better for knowing her - she will be sorely missed. There is a memorial service on Friday for CH2M HILL employees (present and past) who want to honor her. Contact me (amy.brand@ch2m.com) for information. Still waiting to hear on other funeral or memorial plans.
A well written article Thank you
I am very sorry for the family of Catherine Ann
Combs-Lafleur. Please accept my condolescenses
and I hope the guilty person is charged and
convicted.
I thought that I would add a comment also about
my friend, Holly. On Sept. 8th, the Police found
an unidentified female body in the woods near the
bike trail off of Plaza Street and then proceeded
to cover it up. After speaking to a family member
recently, we learned that it was our friend
Holly, who is originally from Chesapeake, VA.
This has been confirmed. She was homeless and
recently had been told to leave the Good Shephard
Alliance Shelter, run by Loudoun County. In my
opinion, she needed to be in a hospital. I wrote
an editorial last week after learning of her
death. The editor chose NOT to print it. At the
time I wrote the editorial, she was still an
unidentified female whose body had been found in
the woods near the bike path. She is being held
in the Leesburg coroner’s office.
That makes 3 murders in 2 months, not counting
the passing of Casey. Loudoun County wants to
cover this up for good reasons or they would have
printed my letter. I have confirmation from her
family that it is Holly. She was a lovely person
who was mentally ill and needed to be
hospitalized. Her employer, United Airline, also
dropped the ball. Now she has no voice. It is a
tragedy of the worst kind. The system is so
broken when someone as ill as Holly could be
turned out in the street. I am posting this
comment because I want everyone to know that this
homeless person had a name. She had a son and a
sister. She had a belief in God. And she wanted
to get well, I think. Here is my editorial that
the paper did NOT print.
Third Murder in Leesburg in Two Months
I do not want this letter to be misconstrued.
I am trying to find an outlet for my frustration
and anger that is constructive and responsible.
I believe there is a story that needs to be told
no matter what the cost. One that I am sure does
not fit into the cultural and political
environment that Loudoun County has adopted.
After all it is not easy being one of the richest
and fastest growing counties in this country. It
is a huge responsibility. We try to feed the
hungry and offer the homeless shelter. No health
insurance? That’s OK. We have a system in place.
One that I think is broken. So I waited patiently
for this week’s edition of the Mirror.(That would
have been last week Sep. 15th.) Did I miss
something? No mention of the unidentified woman
found dead last week in Leesburg on Sep. 8th.
Someone’s daughter, mother, friend? A victim
possibly of Loudoun County’s mental health system
failing to help someone too sick to ask for
help. How does this happen? What is the Truth?
I am both outraged and saddened all at the same
time. So I ask you, who is going to be
accountable? There are far too many questions.
Her death is a tragedy of the worst kind—a
tragedy where the lines of decency and morality
become blurred because of the bottom line. She
deserves justice instead of being just another
statistic. May she rest in peace and know Truth
and Love.
Anonymous
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