Following shooting at pot grow op, retirees now facing charges

EATONVILLE -- A lot of retirees look for creative ways to make a little extra money once they stop working full time, but not many elderly couples turn to growing pot.

Police said a mother, father and their adult son and his friend were happily cultivating hundreds of marijuana plants. But things took a turn for the worse recently and instead of selling pot, it looks like the Bussanich family will be paying a pretty stiff price for it.

According to court documents, Sandi Bussanich’s 64-year-old husband, Louis, shot their son’s prison buddy, Scott Sheldon, as he was trying to make off with some of the pot in May.

“You shouldn’t shoot people over pot,” neighbor Madison Lant said.

Lant lives across the street from the Bussanichs and she had no idea what was happening.

“They’re 60 and they’re smoking pot?” asked Lant. “That’s not something you usually shoot people over.”

Sandi Bussanich didn’t have any interest in answering any questions.

Court documents say Sandi’s son Jason and his friend Sheldon came up with the weed scheme while they were in prison. When police arrived to the Bussanich home, they found lights, fans, scales and packing material in sheds on the property –- plus 60 gallons of frozen marijuana.

“I guess they feel they have to do something illegal to live after retirement, it’s kind of sad to me,” Lant said.

The Bussanich family and Shelton all face charges of manufacturing a controlled substance. Each of them did eventually get medical marijuana cards, but they’re growing way more plants than what is allowed. They all will be back in court later this month.