Location: USA – Page 58 – Disability Day of Mourning

Sue Liner

Name: Sue Kelley Liner.
Died: November 13, 2016.
Age at death: 84.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Cleveland, Tennessee, USA.
Disability: Chronic illness.

Details:
Sue was shot by her husband in a murder-suicide.

She had a son and two grandchildren.

Case status:
Max Liner (Husband), deceased.

Source:
Cleveland police: Fatal shooting of elderly couple appears to be murder-suicide
CPD suspects murder-suicide in couple’s death
Incident 11-13-2016 Tennessee Cleveland 1-1
Liner, Max (Cleveland)
In Memory of Sue Kelley Liner
Sue Liner Obituary

Susann Sills

Name: Susann Stephanie Arsuaga Sills.
Died: November 13, 2016.
Age at death: 58.
Cause of death: Strangled.
Location: San Clemente, California, USA.
Disability: Migraines.

Details:
Susann’s husband beat her up, then strangled her to death. At trial, the defense claimed that she fell down the stairs because of her migraines.

Case Status:
Eric Scott Sills (Husband), convicted of second-degree murder.

Sources:
Fertility Doctor Convicted of Killing Wife in San Clemente
Jurors to Deliberate Fate of Doctor Accused of Killing Wife in San Clemente

Name: Isaac Ward, also known as Isaac Ward Martinez.
Died: November 11, 2016.
Age at death: 2.
Cause of death: Fatal abuse.
Location: Forks, Washington, USA.
Disability: Developmental delay, mobility impaired.

Details:
The mother of Isaac’s foster mother, who was taking care of him while his foster mother was at work, pushed him so hard into the furniture that he suffered a massive head injury and died. An autopsy revealed that he had been subjected to abuse and neglect for at least two months, and his foster mother had done nothing to help him.

Case status:
Ramona Ward (Foster grandmother, related to Isaac), pleaded guilty to homicide by abuse, sentenced to 26 1/2 years.
Michelle A. Ward (Foster mother, related to Isaac, mandatory reporter), pleaded guilty to second-degree criminal mistreatment, sentenced to 2 year community corrections and 6 months of alcohol/drug treatment.

Source:
Ramona Ward sentenced to 26½ years in prison in boy’s killing
April trial date set in death of Forks toddler
Forks woman arrested in toddler’s death
Joint trial mulled in 2-year-old’s death in Forks
Mom, Daughter May Be Tried Together in Forks Boy’s Death
Trial delayed for suspect accused of killing Forks toddler

Faith Wilson

Name: Faith Wilson.
Died: November 11, 2016.
Age at death: 10 months.
Cause of death: Head injury.
Location: Clay, New York, USA.
Disability: Congenital heart disease.

Details:
Ten-month-old Faith was killed by her father when he struck her head deliberately against the changing table. He and his wife waited a day before taking her to the hospital. She died of head injuries.

Case status:
Brian Wilson (Father), pleaded guilty to manslaughter, sentenced to 19-23 years.
Stephanie Heppler (Mother), pleaded guilty to endangering the welfare of a child; conditional discharge.

Source:
Town of Clay man sentenced to 23 years in prison for the death of his daughter
Clay dad: I killed disabled daughter by shaking and hitting her head on changing table
Clay dad charged with manslaughter in baby’s death, mother faces lesser charge
Deputies: 9-month-old girl, allegedly injured by Clay father, has died

Rebecka Pearce

Name: Rebecka Jeanann Pearce.
Died: November 11, 2016.
Age at death: 30.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina, USA.
Disability: Bipolar disorder, anxiety.

Details:
Rebecka and her husband were in the process of getting a divorce, and Rebecka was staying at her parents’ house. Her husband, a sheriff’s deputy, had filed a protective order against her, claiming that her bipolar disorder made her dangerous to her children.

Rebecka’s ex-husband broke into her parents’ home and shot her, then killed himself. Her two young daughters were in the house at the time; they are unhurt, and are now staying with family.

Rebecka was a hairstylist.

Case status:
Jeremy Pearce (Ex-husband), deceased.

Source:
Rebecka J. Pearce, age 30
Marital discord preceded apparent murder-suicide of Granville sheriff’s deputy and his wife
Sheriff’s deputy, wife shot dead at Fuquay-Varina home

Patricia Swink

Name: Patricia Diane Swink.
Died: November 2, 2016.
Age at death: 66.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Hickory, North Carolina, USA.
Disability: Unspecified disability; vision impairment.

Details:
Patricia was killed by her niece and her niece’s son, who then proceeded to steal her car.

Case status:
Micky Lee Swink (Niece’s son), pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, sentenced to life without parole.
Tina Louise Swink (Niece), pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and car theft, sentenced to 18 to 22 years in prison.
Richard Lee Deal, charged with accessory after the fact.

Source:
Hildebran woman to spend at least 18 years in prison for Halloween murder of her aunt
Judge hands Hickory man life-in-prison sentence for Halloween murder | Latest Headlines
Three charged in murder of 66-year-old disabled woman
Hickory woman found dead in home, Police treat case as murder
Mother, son arrested in death of handicap woman
Relatives among three charged in killing of Hickory woman
Mother, son charged with first-degree murder appear in court for death penalty hearings

Grace Packer

Photo of Grace Packer. She is a teenage girl with fair skin and straight brown hair. She is wearing hoop earrings, black-rimmed glasses, and a white flowered shirt. Name: Grace Anastasia Packer.
Died: July 11, 2016 (Reported missing); October 31, 2016 (Body found).
Age at death: 14.
Cause of death: Asphyxia, poisoning, blunt trauma.
Location: Quakertown, Pennsylvania, USA; Abington Township, Pennsylvania, USA.
Disability: Learning disability; mother claimed emotional/behavioral.

Details:
Grace and her twelve-year-old brother were both adopted into the same family. Her favorite colors were purple and light pink, and she loved flowers. She liked to help the special-needs students at her school.

When Grace disappeared, her mother said that she had stolen money and run away; then she did her best to stymie the police investigation and kept cashing Grace’s disability checks. Eventually, she brought out a forged letter she said was from Grace; the letter apologized for “being a burden”.

Grace’s body was found months later; she had been murdered. Grace had been beaten, poisoned, and raped by her mother’s boyfriend before finally being choked to death. Her body was dismembered and the parts scattered. Her mother watched and assisted in the killing.

Her mother said she had “behavioral problems” and an “emotional disorder” in order to portray Grace as an emotionally disturbed runaway, and she received disability payments to care for Grace as an adopted disabled child.

Case status:
Sara Packer (Adoptive mother), pleaded guilty to murder, sentenced to life in prison.
Jacob Sullivan (Mother’s boyfriend), convicted of murder, sentenced to death, died of natural causes on death row.

Natalie Finn

Name: Natalie Jasmine Finn.
Died: October 24, 2016.
Age at death: 16.
Cause of death: Malnutrition.
Location: Des Moines, Iowa, USA.
Disability: Reactive attachment disorder.

Details:
Natalie was one of several children, all of whom were neglected and abused by their mother. Natalie often went to neighbors’ houses to ask for food and clothing.

In the last year of her life, she was taken out of school, kept at home, and starved to death by her mother.

Neighbors and classmates remember her as a gentle, kind girl who did her best to help her siblings. Her two siblings were rescued when Natalie died and were hospitalized in poor condition; when they recovered, they went to live in foster homes. It is likely that Natalie’s efforts saved their lives.

Case status:
Nicole Marie Finn (Mother), convicted of first-degree murder and three counts of first-degree kidnapping, sentenced to life without parole.
Joseph Michael Finn II (Father), pled guilty to three counts of assault while participating in a felony causing serious injury, sentenced to 30 years.

Source:
Natalie Finn’s father sentenced to 30 years for helping ex-wife starve children
Nicole Finn gets 3 life sentences for starving 3 of her adopted children until 1 died
Teen, siblings were tortured by parents, court documents say
Parents charged in 16-year-old’s death appear in court
Court documents: Teen, siblings were tortured by parents
Teen who died had asked neighbors for food, clothes
Neighbor: Teen saw herself as siblings’ protector
Memorial For Sixteen Year Old Turns Into Heartfelt Apology From Peers
Teen who starved to death found in diaper on linoleum floor, records show
Trial begins in starvation death of West Des Moines teen
Photos show filthy living conditions inside Finn household
Natalie Finn’s school tried to warn the state she was in dire jeopardy, but it wasn’t enough to save her Nicole Finn repeatedly ignored officer, caseworker trying to see her, jurors told
Nicole Finn Murder Case: 5 Things About Mom Who Starved Daughter
Adoptive father of Iowa teen who starved to death pleads guilty

Mark Mellor

Photo of Mark Mellor, a young man wearing a gray suit and tie. He has fair skin with ruddy cheeks and short brown hair; he is smiling at the camera. Name: Mark Mellor.
Died: October 16, 2016.
Age at death: 31.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Carlock, Illinois, USA.
Disability: Depression.

Details:
Mark was stabbed to death by his wife because he threw a drink at the wall of the cabin while they were camping. She blamed his depression for their “stressful marriage”.

Mark was a nature lover who enjoyed hunting, fishing, and camping; he was at home surviving in the wilderness. He worked for the county animal control department.

Case status:
Sarah Mellor (Wife), pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, sentenced to 8 years.

Source:
Bloomington woman gets 8 years in stabbing death of husband
Judge: ‘Sorry will not bring him back’
Mark Mellor

Aaliyah Taylor

Photo of a teenage girl with short curly black hair and brown skin, wearing a quizzical expression. Name: Aaliyah Taylor.
Died: October 15, 2016.
Age at death: 14.
Cause of death: Respiratory failure due to drug toxicity.
Location: Spring, Texas, USA.
Disability: Microcephaly, multiple sclerosis, autism and seizures.

Details:
Aaliyah was abused by her father and caregivers. He repeatedly used a stun gun on her, and they drugged her with blood pressure medication that she hadn’t been prescribed. The medication caused her to stop breathing and die.

Case status:
Anthony Jackson (Father), convicted of first-degree injury to a child, sentenced to 65 years, with parole possible after 8.5 years.
Keyonna Gunner (Home health worker), convicted of injury to a child, sentenced to 90 days in jail and 7 years probation.
Tommieretta Gunner (Home health worker), convicted of injury to a child, sentenced to 8 years in prison.
Marreissa Jones (Home health worker), charged with first-degree injury to a child.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Aaliyah Taylor
Three charged in death of special-needs teen
Houston Officials: Special needs teen who died last year was abused
Teaxs Digest: Special-needs teen who died was abused, officials say
Special needs teen who died last year was abused, 3 suspects arrested
Girl, 14, with special needs dies after given blood pressure medication, autopsy shows
Special needs teen who died last year was abused
Three adults use stun gun on special needs teen for months before delivering deadly dose of unprescribed meds: Cops
Fourth suspect arrested in disturbing abuse, death of special needs teenager
MCSO: Fourth suspect arrested in special needs teen’s death
Police charged three in the death of a special needs girl, but believe a 4th took part