Patrick Duffy Remembers the ‘Horrific’ Night in 1986 When Both His Parents Were Murdered

Throughout their 43-year marriage, Patrick Duffy leaned on late wife Carlyn Rosser the most when his parents were murdered. It is something that has stayed with him ever since tragedy struck that fateful night in November 1986.

The Dallas actor described Terence and Marie Duffy as “pretty ordinary, pleasant people” who were “very social” in the latest issue of Closer Weekly, on newsstands now. They owned a local tavern, The Lodge, in their hometown of Boulder, Montana — which was where the crime took place.

“My father kicked these two young men out of the bar at some point in the evening. So they went and drank elsewhere…and came back to the bar to kick his ass,” Patrick recalled. “When they stepped in the bar with their guns, they shot him. There was nobody else in the bar, so they shot both my mother and my father.”

He didn’t know it at the time, but it was his faith that helped him through this difficult time.

“When my parents were murdered, I went through all the emotions of the horrific event — shock and anger and everything — but I never felt disconnected from [my parents]. I never felt that immediate loss,” Patrick continued. “I did not know why then, but in retrospect it was a result of being Buddhist.”

In the end, the two men were ultimately found guilty of the murders. Sean Wentz, the one who pulled the trigger, was sentenced to 180 years in prison — where he remains to this day. The accomplice, Kenneth Miller, was paroled in 2007. One might assume that Patrick wouldn’t be OK with this, but he is.

“I’m OK with that,” he admitted. “My point of view is he’s already been punished. You know, whether he’s in prison or out of prison.”

These days, Patrick is keeping the memory of Carlyn and his parents alive — and they all live on through the two sons he shared with Carlyn. On top of that, he still has an acting career to keep him busy, as he will next star in the Lifetime TV movie Random Acts of Christmas, which hits the small screen on November 17.

“I have done and I still am doing OK,” he concluded. “I have worked hard to make the best of life, and it’s been good to me.”

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