'Good man dies of his own actions'

IONIA, Mich. (WOOD) - Sarah Husman and Cory Ryan were romantically involved for nearly six years. But she ended their engagement in 1999 after, she said, he became increasingly paranoid and delusional.

Ryan was shot to death by an Ionia County deputy on Friday after he shot two people and fired at the deputy on an Ionia street. He was 41.

"For the last two years of our relationship, he was constantly pacing in our house," she told 24 Hour News 8, "sometimes with a gun sometimes without a gun."

One of the reasons for his paranoia, she said, was his chosen line of work: marijuana grower and dealer. He was very good at growing high grades of pot and had been doing it for years, Husman said.

She loved him deeply and said he was a big part of her life until they broke up in 1999. Before they did, though, she suggested he get some mental help.

Husman is concerned for the officer who shot him, but she said the officer had no choice.

"I believe if (Ryan) would have had a source of communication with somebody, if he could have reached out to somebody close by that he trusted. Of course Cory didn't trust anybody.

"If there would have been family support along those lines, then they would have seen his deterioration. Maybe they would have listened and maybe they could have forced a hand in getting him some help, but at this point I think it's a tragedy.

"A good man dies of his own actions. I don't believe anything could have been done if there was nobody there to help him."