PC World editor dies in Pittsburg attack

By Emmett Berg and Caitilin McAdoo, Bay City News Service

January 10, 2007

The president of San Francisco-based PC World reacted today that employees were "shocked and deeply saddened" by news that a senior technical editor at the magazine was shot dead on Tuesday in Pittsburg.

Pittsburg resident Rex Farrance, 59, was fatally shot and his 56-year-old wife was pistol whipped at their home Tuesday night after four masked gunmen forced open the front door in an apparent robbery that may have been linked to illegal drug sales, Pittsburg police Inspector John Conaty reported today.

Jeff Edman, who leads PC World Communications, said Farrance was a senior technical editor and a 19-year employee at PC World.

"We are shocked and deeply saddened by the news of Rex's untimely death, and our thoughts and prayers are with them at this time," Edman said.

"We will miss not only his many contributions, but also his friendship." Farrance and his wife were in their home in the 100 block of Argosy Court when the gunmen kicked in the front door shortly after 9 p.m., Conaty said.

The suspects then struck the woman with a gun and fatally shot Farrance in the chest.

The motive for the attack appears to have been robbery, Conaty said, but investigators found evidence at the home that leads them to believe the couple wasn't targeted randomly.

Conaty said that the robbery might have been motivated by the victim's alleged involvement in illegal drug sales.

Police aren't specifying the type of drug and are continuing to search the house today.

After the robbery, the four suspects fled on foot, Conaty said. No suspects have been named in the case.

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