© Andrew Theodorakis/News'He looked like death,' said one neighbor of David Laffer, who is seen being taken to Brookhaven Hospital Wednesday after his arrest in Long Island bloodbath.
David Laffer's life began falling apart two weeks ago.
The former Army private, who worked for years as a shipping clerk at scale manufacturer Cosa Xentaur in Yaphank, L.I., was fired, reportedly for stealing.
That meant no more health insurance - and no more prescription pills.
The loss of health coverage was a blow, said Joanna Martino, a one-time friend of Laffer's pill-popping wife, Melinda Brady.
"This past weekend, Melinda was trying to find out if anyone knew what hospital she can go to to get a 'scrip for pain pills," Martino said.
There were other signs of desperation: Laffer, who'd had minor tax judgments against him in the past, signed up for food stamps Friday, Newsday reported.
As Laffer and his wife were taken away in handcuffs Wednesday, those who knew them struggled to understand how he could have fallen so far.
