Ward Lucas, who worked in investigative journalism for 40 years, sadly passed away at 75.
He was born in 1949 in Kyoto, Japan, to a father who served during World War II.
Highlights
- Wald Lucas sadly died on Sunday, September 15, 2024, at 75. But, the reason has not been disclosed.
- He was the reporter who reported the DB Cooper hijacking incident.
- Lucas’s father suffered a head injury during World War 2.
Lucas started broadcasting at 16, hosting radio talk shows in Seattle, Washington.
He was the first reporter on the DB Cooper hijacking and the Ted Bundy murders. He interviewed the president, nursing home residents, secretaries of state, and street people.
He shifted into television broadcasting, first at KIRO-TV in Seattle and then at KUSA-TV in Denver, Colorado.
In 1993, he joined eight nationally known professors and journalists in the book Psychic Sleuths, which showcased the use of psychics by police departments across the country.
Ward Lucas Obituary: His exact Death Reason Has Not Been Disclosed Yet
Ward Lucas, known by his colleagues as a quick-witted truth seeker and mentor, took his last breath on Sunday, September 15, 2024.
However, his family and close ones have not disclosed the exact reason for his death.
TV News anchorman of 9News, Tom Green, shared a heartfelt condolence post on his official Twitter handle, saying,
Very sad news to report tonight. Our friend & longtime colleague Ward Lucas has passed away. Ward was brilliant on television as an investigator & and anchor. He was a fixture at @9NEWS for over 30 years. Ward & I worked together a lot…my condolences to his family.
Very sad news to report tonight.
Our friend & longtime colleague Ward Lucas has passed away.
Ward was brilliant on television as an investigator & and anchor. He was a fixture at @9NEWS for over 30 years.
Ward & I worked together a lot…my condolences go out to his family. pic.twitter.com/9KhFRqGSAH— Tom Green (@TGreenDenver) September 18, 2024
One of his fans, Steve Snyder, posted a status message and explained his memories and first meeting experience with Ward Lucas. He posted,
Our city lost a great journalist and an even better person today. Ward Lucas from KUSA passed away.I first met Ward because he went to my church when I was a teenager. I briefly got to know his son when I would come back from college and work with youth groups in the summer. Later, he was one of the first people I saw when I started working at Channel 9. And he remembered all the stuff from church. He always had time for me when I had questions.Then in the years after leaving TV news, I had to work with Ward on the other side of the fence, as a spokesperson for several agencies I represented. He was engaging to work with because he always asked pointed, insightful questions designed to get to the truth.I will always remember him as a man of impeccable integrity and someone who was always fair and kind to me. Just a good man.I hope his family finds peace during this time.
His fan named Victor Betancourt also poured his heartfelt condolence through his Twitter handle, saying,
Ward Lucas, the longtime 9NEWS reporter and anchor, dies at 75 | 9news.com Who could forget that distinct voice I enjoyed watching him anchor the news Rip
Others also offered their condolences to his family, encouraging them to stay strong in this challenging period.
He will be remembered for his contributions to journalism, for which he won over 70 awards.
During his 40-year career, he has won Emmy Awards, Associated Press Awards, the George Polk Award, the CSICOP Responsibility in Journalism Award, and many more.
He served on the board of the Alzheimer’s Association from 1996 to 2002. His father endured severe head injuries from a Nazibazooka in the Second World War and lived with Alzheimer’s disease for more than a decade before passing.
Denver’s Ward Lucas won more than 70 awards for his work, including 11 Emmys. He was inducted into the Heartland Emmys Silver Circle in 2008 and Broadcast Pioneers of Colorado in 2018.
— Jassa Skott (@JassaSkott) September 18, 2024
After retiring from 9News in 2009, he wrote three books: “Neighbors at War! The Creepy Case Against Your Homeowner’s Association,” “Sometimes Ya Gotta Ride the Elephant,” and “The Wacky World of a Recovering Army Brat Family.”
Additional Information
- Ward Lucas had an estimated net worth of $5 million, which he primarily earned from his broadcasting career.
- In 1977, Lucas tried to persuade the 9News director to fly him to Aspen after Bundy escaped the Pitkin County courthouse.
- He traveled from Japan to Denver to start his career at 9News.
