Tina Billingham

Close-up photo of Tina Billingham, a middle-aged woman with strawberry-blond hair and fair skin, smiling at the camera.Name: Tina Billingham.
Died: February 6, 2017.
Age at death: 54.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Rowley Regis, England, UK.
Disability: Depression.

Details:
After a long abusive relationship, Tina’s partner stabbed her through the heart with a sword. During the trial he tried to claim she had done it to herself because of her depression.

She was a friendly woman, the mother of two, who liked to have friends and neighbors over for coffee.

Case status:
Ronald Cooke (Partner), convicted of murder, sentenced to 24 years to life.

Source:
‘Murdered’ Sandwell mother could have killed herself, court told
Funeral Fund For Tina Billingham
‘Our sadness is overwhelming’: Family’s tribute to murdered Tina Billingham
Murder accused: She killed herself after I called her bluff
Murderer Ronald Cooke’s violent and bullying past revealed
Man jailed for life after stabbing partner to death in row

Erin Leinweber

Portrait photo of Erin Leinweber, a young woman with long light-brown hair, fair skin, and brown eyes. She is wearing a blouse and is smiling with her lips shut.Name: Erin Leinweber.
Died: February 4, 2017.
Age at death: 58.
Cause of death: Beaten, stabbed, suffocated.
Location: Wheaton, Illinois, USA.
Disability: Multiple sclerosis, lupus, brain aneurysm.

Details:
Erin was recently divorced from her husband, who had a history of abusing her. Her husband returned to her home and killed her by stabbing and suffocating her.

Case status:
Lee Leinweber (ex-husband), pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, sentenced to 50 years.

Source:
Man pleads guilty, gets 50 years for killing ex-wife in Wheaton
Ex-husband charged with murder in death of Wheaton woman: officials

Ellen McKenzie

Sepia-tone photo of Ellen MacKenzie, a middle-aged woman with light skin and dark hair, wearing a hat and smiling.Name: Ellen McKenzie.
Died: January 30, 2017.
Age at death: 48.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA.
Disability: Chronic illness, depression.

Details:
Ellen was shot in the head by her boyfriend in a murder-suicide.

Case status:
Joseph Yates (Boyfriend), deceased.

Source:
East Ridge couple who died in apparent murder-suicide remembered as very close
Police confirm murder-suicide in East Ridge
Medical examiner: East Ridge man killed girlfriend, self in murder-suicide
UPDATE: East Ridge PD identifies 2 people killed in murder-suicide on Shelby Circle

Jose Gomez

No PhotoName: Jose Breydi Gomez.
Died: January 28, 2017.
Age at death: 30.
Cause of death: Blunt head trauma.
Location: Owensboro, Kentucky, USA.
Disability: Unspecified; wheelchair user.

Details:
Jose was found beaten to death, his body under a tarp behind a vacant house. His mother’s boyfriend was arrested on suspicion of having hit him with a piece of wood, and his mother was arrested on suspicion of helping him hide the body.

Neighbors remember Jose as a friendly man who could often be seen rolling around the neighborhood in his wheelchair on sunny days.

Case status:
Yolanda Gomez (Mother), charged with tampering with evidence.
Salvador Avila-Navarrete (mother’s boyfriend), convicted of manslaughter, sentenced to 12-15 years.

Source:
Man Admits to Hitting Jose Gomez with Two-by-Four
Owensboro Man Found Dead, Mother Connected to Death
Police Arrest Mother After Son’s Body Is Found In Backyard
Body Discovered in Owensboro, Victim’s Mother, Another Man Arrested
Offender information

Victoria Cherry

Photo of Vicky Cherry, a middle-aged woman with pale skin and straight brown chin-length hair.Name: Victoria Cherry.
Died: January 15, 2017 (Body Found); missing October 2015.
Age at death: 44.
Cause of death: Likely strangulation.
Location: Bolton, Manchester, England, UK.
Disability: Epilepsy, depression, drug abuse.

Details:
Vicky’s boyfriend claimed she had moved away and stole her benefits for some time. Her body was found fifteen months later, stuffed into a cupboard. It was impossible to tell exactly how she had died, but damage to her neck implied Vicky had probably been strangled.

Case status:
Andrew Reade (Boyfriend), pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice and preventing a lawful burial, sentenced to 4 years, 4 months.

Source:
Man jailed for hiding girlfriend’s body in cupboard for more than a year
Victoria Cherry: Man arrested on suspicion of murder after police find body
Tributes to mum found dead at flat
Tributes paid to Preston woman Victoria Cherry
Police searching for missing woman Victoria Cherry for over a year find body in Bolton house
Man hid body of dead girlfriend in airing cupboard for 15 months
Man, 43, hid his dead girlfriend’s body in his airing cupboard for 15 months
Vicky Cherry death: Boyfriend jailed over airing cupboard body

Scott McCallum

Photo of Scott McCallum, a white man with black hair and a receding hairline; he has a salt-and-pepper beard and mustache.Name: Scott McCallum.
Died: January 6, 2017.
Age at death: 55.
Cause of death: Fatal neglect.
Location: Howard City, Michigan, USA.
Disability: Multiple sclerosis.

Details:
Scott’s caregiver left him alone and didn’t care for him. He died of neglect, with severe bedsores. She left his body in place for two days before finally calling a funeral home.

Case Status:
Rebecca Ann Deters (Son’s girlfriend), pleaded no contest to second-degree abuse, sentenced to 12 months in jail; serving 24 months in prison due to probation violation.

Source:
Woman sent to prison for abuse of bedridden man
Woman pleads to abusing bedridden man who died in her care
Woman accused of neglecting bedridden man, not reporting his death

Yoko Kubota

No PhotoName: Yoko Kubota.
Died: January 4, 2017.
Age at death: 37.
Cause of death: Asphyxia.
Location: Tachikawa, Tokyo, Japan.
Disability: Mental disability.

Details:
Yoko’s father strangled her before committing suicide.

Case status:
Akira Kubota (Father), deceased.

Source:
Man, mentally disabled daughter found dead in murder-suicide

Sonia Riang

Photo of Sonia Riang, an African-American woman with medium-brown skin and curly black hair. She is wearing a flannel jacket and smiling.Name: Sonia Riang.
Died: December 25, 2016.
Age at death: 45.
Cause of death: Stabbing.
Location: Clinton Township, Michigan, USA.
Disability: Mobility impaired due to car accident; used wheelchair and cane.

Details:
Sonia was stabbed to death by her daughter on Christmas day.

She was a fan of Korean soap operas.

Case status:
Delilah Evans (Daughter), convicted of first-degree murder, guilty but mentally ill; sentenced to life without parole.

Source:
Teen Arrested Monday in Connection With Christmas Day Murder
Daughter arrested in fatal stabbing of disabled mother in Clinton Township
Clinton Township teen may be arraigned in mother’s death
Daughter Arrested in Christmas Day Murder of Disabled Mother
17-year-old charged in murder of disabled mother
17-year-old daughter arraigned in mother’s stabbing death on Christmas
17-Year-Old Girl Charged With Murder In Mother’s Fatal Stabbing Christmas Day
Clinton Township Girl Arraigned In Mother’s Death
Teen arraigned in disabled mother’s stabbing death
Teen charged with murder in stabbing death of mother
17-Year-Old Girl Murders Mom On Christmas Day, But Family Upset About Murder Charges
Clinton Township teen seeking insanity verdict for stabbing mother to death
Teen gets life for stabbing disabled mom 120 times on Christmas Day
Teen who killed disabled mom on Christmas gets life in prison
Metro Detroit teen gets life without parole for stabbing her disabled mom 120 times, killing her
Clinton Township teen who killed mother gets life without parole
Daughter sentenced to life in prison for mother’s fatal stabbing on Christmas
Teen girl stabs disabled mother 120 times, killing her, on Christmas Day

Riba Dewilde

Photo of Riba DeWilde. She is a woman with brown hair, fair skin, and large glasses. She is wearing a large hiking backpack and smiling.Name: Riba Dewilde.
Died: November 26, 2016.
Age at death: 51.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Tok, Alaska, USA.
Disability: Mental illness.

Details:
Photo of "Athabaskan Male Doll with Accessories", artwork by Riba Dewilde. The doll is made of wood, bark, fur, and antler. It is dressed in traditional clothing, sitting in a canoe and holding a fishing spear.

Riba was an artist who would go out hunting and trapping to gather materials for her art.

Riba’s son shot her with a hunting rifle.

 

Case status:
Eli Simpson (Son), charged with first- and second-degree murder. Convicted; sentence unknown. Currently incarcerated.

Source:
Prisoners charged in riot, occupation of Fairbanks Correctional Center
21-year-old Tok man faces murder charges in Alaska artist’s death
Alaska artist Riba DeWilde shot and killed in Tok; son in custody
Artist Riba DeWilde Murdered; Emergency Fundraiser Planned

Carol Simon and Brayden Otto

Picture of Carol Simon. She is a heavyset woman with brown curly hair and fair skin; she is wearing a pink fuzzy scarf. Brayden is a young boy with red hair and fair skin, wearing a collared orange shirt.Name: Carol Simon.
Age at death: 48.
Disability: Unspecified skin condition.

Name: Brayden Robert-Emil Otto.
Age at death: 7.
Disability: Unspecified disability.

Died: November 20, 2016.
Cause of death: Strangled, throat cut.
Location: Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA.

Details:
Carol and her grandson Brayden were killed by her son, who strangled them and then slit their throats to make sure they were dead. Later, the killer claimed that he had done it as a “mercy killing”, because Carol was ill and wasn’t getting better and because Brayden was disabled.

Carol was an outgoing nurse who liked learning. Brayden was an elementary school student remembered for his big smile.

Case status:
Heath Allen Otto (Carol’s son, Brayden’s uncle), charged with first-degree murder, found not guilty by reason of insanity; committed to a mental institution.

Source:
Man who killed mother, nephew in 2016 not guilty by reason of insanity
Man told police he wanted to put mother, nephew out of their misery
7-year-old homicide victim was South Dakota suspect’s nephew
Name released of 7-year-old killed in double homicide
Accused killer makes amazing claim
Child in double killing also related to suspect
Child’s name released in double homicide
Brayden Otto, 7
Guestbook for Brayden Robert-Emil Otto
Brayden Otto’s Obituary
Carol L. Simon, 48
Monsters Among Us: Heath Otto charged with killing his mother, Carol Simon and a his 7-year-old nephew, Brayden Robert-Emil Otto
Trial on pause to evaluate competency of man charged with murder of mother, nephew