PITTSBURG / Man slain in home, wife hurt

Rex Farrance, who has made a home gym with equipment found here and there and cables from Home Depot, adds more weight to his dumb bell for his workout in the gym on the patio of his home in Pittsburg. Photo by Gina Gayle/The SF Chronicle. less Rex Farrance, who has made a home gym with equipment found here and there and cables from Home Depot, adds more weight to his dumb bell for his workout in the gym on the patio of his home in Pittsburg. Photo by ... more Photo: GINA GAYLE Photo: GINA GAYLE Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close PITTSBURG / Man slain in home, wife hurt 1 / 3 Back to Gallery

2007-01-10 21:49:28 PST -- Rex Farrance was a popular senior editor at PC World magazine in San Francisco, a physical-fitness buff and a family man known for his enthusiasm for life and his sensitivity to others, friends say.

But according to police, Farrance, 59, was involved with illegal drugs and possibly dealing them along with his wife at their Pittsburg home. The activity, police said Wednesday, led to a home-invasion robbery Tuesday night in which Farrance was killed and his wife, a registered nurse, was pistol-whipped.

However, Farrance's son, Sterling Farrance, 19, blasted the police assertion that his parents were involved with illegal drugs in any way. Sterling Farrance told The Chronicle on Wednesday night that he grew and stored medical marijuana at his parents' home with his father's permission.

"I have a prescription. I'm a patient. It was medical," he said. "This one officer I remember at the house, he had this predisposition to think it was all illegal."

At about 9 p.m. Tuesday, four masked men burst into the Farrance home on Argosy Court, a usually tranquil cul-de-sac near an elementary school. They fatally shot Rex Farrance in the chest and hit his wife in the head with a gun, Pittsburg police Inspector John Conaty said.

Rex Farrance's wife, Lenore Vantosh-Farrance, 56, called 911, but the assailants fled on foot before police arrived. No arrests have been made in what investigators said was a targeted attack possibly linked to narcotics.

"We have substantial reason to believe that the victim and his wife were involved in the possession of and, potentially, the distribution of illegal narcotics," said Conaty. He declined to specify what type of drug, saying only that a "considerable" amount was found in the home. Police also would not say whether the killers took anything from the house.

Vantosh-Farrance was treated at a hospital and released and unavailable for comment. Her daughter, Kavita Johnopoulos, 31, also rejected police statements that her mother and stepfather were involved with illegal drugs.

She said she believes Rex Farrance, an avid hunter, was targeted for money and guns because he's a member of the Bay Point Rod and Gun Club.

"It's sick that they would do this, that they would give false information on what's going on in that home," Johnopoulos said.

Co-workers and friends expressed shock at Rex Farrance's slaying and the alleged ties to drugs.

"I never went to his house or knew his wife, but he never came across as someone who would be dealing drugs," said Todd Fong, a former co-worker of Farrance at PC World. "Granted, things could have changed -- and I truly hope the police are wrong in their assumptions -- but the Rex I knew and will always remember was a great person."

Rex Farrance, who turned 59 on Sunday, had been an employee of PC World in San Francisco for 19 years and was senior technical editor, reviewing online and print articles for technical accuracy. He was also a fitness enthusiast and rock-music aficionado, friends said. His wife has been a registered nurse in California since 1983 and is employed by Kaiser Permanente, according to acquaintances and public records. Neither Farrance nor his wife has an arrest record, authorities said.

PC World officials said Wednesday that they had no knowledge about the drug allegations and described Farrance as a well-liked, model employee.

"We are shocked and deeply saddened by the news of Rex's untimely death," said Jeff Edman, president and CEO of PC World. "We will miss not only his many contributions, but also his friendship."

"We're all in shock here," said Denny Arar, a PC World senior editor. "Rex loved his work. He really cared about covering technology in a way that was useful for readers. He cared a lot about people, period."

Kimberly Brinson, PC World's managing editor, said Farrance was a "kind-hearted and gracious person who showed tremendous respect for others and their work."

As a technical editor, Farrance was "part teacher, part diplomat, and part historian, roles he served with great sensitivity and humor," Brinson said. For part of Wednesday, police tape surrounded the couple's yellow, one-story home, which abuts Willow Cove Elementary School. A piece of plywood covered the damaged front door; Farrance's Cadillac was parked in the driveway.

Herculano Darosa, 54, who has lived on the street for 24 years, said he often saw Farrance jogging or exercising in the neighborhood. "He looked nice to me," said Darosa, who expressed shock at the police assertion that the couple were involved in drugs.

Another neighbor who wished to be identified only as Dan said, "We were absolutely shocked to see the police lights, and we were even more shocked to hear from the police that there was drugs going on. If they were into drugs, then they kept it well-hidden."