Category: Age: Adult

Age 30-59

Wendy Garland

No PhotoName: Wendy Garland.
Died: July 8, 2010.
Age at death: 33.
Cause of death: Pending autopsy.
Location: Jersey City, New Jersey, USA.
Disability: Down syndrome, cerebral palsy.

Details:
Wendy died when her family left her in a filthy room that, in midsummer, had heated up to 100 degrees. When they found her dead, they moved her out of her room, but when police saw where Wendy had been staying, they arrested her family. It was discovered that she had not seen a doctor in three years.

Case status:
Florence Garland (Mother), charged with neglect of an elderly or disabled person; died in 2017.
Helene Hutchinson (sister), charged with neglect of an elderly or disabled person.

Source:
Inspectors visit building where disabled Jersey City woman died
Family of disabled woman found dead in Jersey City appear in court
Disabled Woman Left in 100 Degree Room Dies; Mother, Sister Charged
Bed-ridden, disabled Jersey City woman found dead in 100-degree room, cops say; sister and mom charged
Death of disabled Jersey City woman who died in squalor requires more investigation: officials

Diane Stewart

Photo of a middle-aged woman sitting at a desk; she has brown, curly hair and fair skin.Name: Diane Stewart.
Died: June 25, 2010.
Age at death: 47.
Cause of death: Suffocation.
Location: Bassingbourn, England, UK.
Disability: Epilepsy.

Details:
Diane’s husband killed her and claimed she had died of epilepsy. He was not suspected of murder until he also killed his non-disabled second wife, Helen Bailey, and was convicted of her murder. Diane’s body had been cremated, but luckily she had left her brain to medical research, and when it was examined, it showed signs of suffocation.

Case status:
Ian Stewart (Husband), convicted of murder, sentenced to 35 years to life.

Source:
Killer who murdered wife and fiancee has sentence reduced
Doctor explains how killer Ian Stewart nearly got away with murder
Ian Stewart: Man who killed author guilty of murdering wife
Diane Stewart: How a donated brain helped convict a double killer
Ian Stewart: Murder accused’s 999 call played to trial jury
Ian Stewart murder trial hears oxygen starvation evidence
Ian Stewart: Helen Bailey’s killer on trial over Diane Stewart’s murder
Boyfriend convicted of murdering Helen Bailey charged with new murder
Boyfriend convicted of murdering Helen Bailey charged with first wife’s murder
Man arrested on suspicion of murder over death of convicted killer’s wife
Killer of author Helen Bailey ‘held over death of first wife’
Police quiz man over death of his wife who died suddenly in 2010
Killer Of Author Helen Bailey ‘Arrested Over Death Of Wife In 2010’
Killer of children’s author Helen Bailey ‘quizzed over death of first wife’
Man who murdered children’s author, Helen Bailey, is charged with killing his wife six years earlier

Elizabeth Knowles

Photo of Elizabeth Knowles. She has pale skin, chin-length curly brown hair, and blue eyes. She is smiling slightly. She is wearing a pink sleeveless shirt and a silver necklace.Name: Elizabeth Joy Knowles.
Died: April 22, 2010.
Age at death: 48.
Cause of death: Smoke inhalation.
Location: Kallangur, Queensland, Australia.
Disability: Chronic illness, mobility impairment (Wheelchair user).

Details:
Elizabeth died in a house fire that had been deliberately set, with the smoke detectors disabled. Less than a day later, her husband put in an insurance claim on the house.

Case status:
David Maxwell Knowles (Husband), charged with murder, arson, and fraud; found dead on the day he was set to go to court.

Source:
Man charged over wife’s death in fire found dead
ELIZABETH JOY KNOWLES (#54-2010)
Man charged with murdering disabled wife in fire to claim insurance
ELIZABETH JOY KNOWLES (#54-2010)
Motive sought for ‘suspicious’ fatal house fire
Husband charged six years later
Man charged with murdering disabled wife in fire to claim insurance

Amanda Quirk

Photo: A blurry image of a young woman with very short brown hair and pale skin, wearing a black sweater. She is holding an orange-and-white cat. Name: Amanda Quirk.
Died: April 8, 2010.
Age at death: 32.
Cause of death: Traumatic injury.
Location: Booval, New South Wales, Australia.
Disability: Unspecified; on disability pension.

Details:
Amanda’s roommates tortured her to make her give them access to her bank account, killed her, and dumped her body.

Amanda had an orange-and-white cat named Megsy. She had a tattoo on her hand that read, “Mum”.

Case Status:
Christopher James Swan (Roommate), convicted of murder, sentenced to life.
Rachel Narelle Smith (Roommate), convicted of being an accessory to murder, sentenced to 3-7 years.
Michelle Anna Mondientz (Acquaintance), convicted of being an accessory after the fact to murder, sentenced to 5 years.

Sources:
Quirk flatmate found guilty of being accessory to murder
Flatmate convicted of murdering Quirk granted re-trial
R v. Swan
AMANDA QUIRK (#48-2010)
Woman ‘tortured and bashed to death’
Witness helped smuggle Amanda’s dead body out of home
Man tells of drive to dump body
Murdered Ipswich woman’s body ‘unidentified’
Family speaks out on Quirk murder

Wesley Lawson

Photo of a gravestone reading "Wesley Wayne Lawson".Name: Wesley Wayne Lawson.
Died: March 7, 2010.
Age at death: 39.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: Lake Wales, Florida, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy.

Details:
Wesley’s mother neglected him; he died of starvation weighing 55 pounds. When he died, his bedsores were so severe that his bones could be seen.

Wesley liked playing the harmonica and wheelchair dancing. He competed in the Special Olympics.

Case status:
Vernetta Lawson (Mother), pleaded no contest to aggravated manslaughter of a disabled adult, sentenced to five years probation.

Source:
Woman Spared Jail Time in Starvation Death of Her Disabled Son
Wesley Wayne Lawson Obituary

Thoretta Miller

Portrait photo of a woman with dark-brown skin and curly black hair, wearing a pink blouse and turquoise scarf.Name: Thoretta Miller.
Died: February 12, 2010.
Age at death: 57.
Cause of death: Traumatic injury.
Location: Texas City, Texas, USA.
Disability: “Legally blind and disabled”.

Details:
Thoretta’s granddaughter beat and stabbed her to death.

Case status:
Cheretta Smith (granddaughter), pleaded guilty to murder, sentenced to 42-84 years.

Source:
Texas City woman who killed blind grandmother gets 84 years
Texas City woman admits to murdering blind grandmother
Cheretta Andurnique Smith v. The State of Texas

Dominique J.

Blurry photo of a woman with Down syndrome. She is wearing a pink shirt, and her eyes are scrunched up in laughter, her tongue poking slightly from her mouth. She has pale skin and short brown hair with blonde streaks.Name: Dominique J.
Died: February 10, 2010.
Age at death: 47.
Cause of death: Wrists and throat cut.
Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Disability: Down syndrome.

Details:
Dominique’s mother was afraid that her daughter would need institutional care; so she cut her daughter’s throat and wrists, killing her.

Dominique’s mother reported that her daughter had been assaulted and molested in an institution when she was younger. Dominique was supposed to go live with a sibling when her mother was no longer able to care for her.

Case Status:
Ronnie J. (Mother), convicted of murder, but not given a custodial sentence.

Source:
Ronnie J. toch veroordeeld
Dode vrouw in woning Korte Marnixkade
‘Moeder moet leven’ met de moord op dochter
Vrouw (84) doodde haar gehandicapte dochter: ‘Mijn Dootje is nu veilig’
Dominique Blank – Moordzaken.com

Clyde Bedford

Photo of a middle-aged man with fair skin, his dark hair in a ponytail; he is wearing a black T-shirt.Name: Clyde Edward “Eddie” Bedford.
Died: December 18, 2009.
Age at death: 57.
Cause of death: Bludgoned.
Location: Kennedale, Texas, USA.
Disability: Wheelchair user.

Details:
Clyde, his daughter Joy, and his granddaughter Jodi were attacked by his son-in-law. Clyde and his granddaughter died from being bludgeoned with a bat, and his daughter was fatally stabbed.

Clyde and his granddaughter Jodi were especially close.

Case Status:
John William Hummel (Son-in-law), convicted of murder, sentenced to death. Executed June 30, 2021.

Source:
What did John Hummel do and how did he die? ID’s Sins of the Father revisits 2009 triple murders
Texas inmate faces execution after killing 3 family members
Kennedale Man Faces Execution After Killing 3 Family Members
Clyde Edward “Zeke” Bedford (1952-2009) – Find A Grave
Texas execution: Man stabbed wife 30+ times, used bat to kill daughter and father-in-law
Texas executes inmate for killing his pregnant wife, father-in-law back in 2009

Betty Anne Gagnon

Photo of Betty Anne Gagnon, a middle-aged woman with short brown hair and light skin; her hair is parted messily and her expression is sad.Name: Betty Anne “BA” Gagnon.
Died: November 20, 2009.
Age at death: 48.
Cause of death: Head injury.
Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Disability: Intellectual disability.

Details:
BA was beaten and starved by her sister and sister’s husband. Eventually she died from a blow to the head, weighing 65 pounds.

Case status:
Denise Scriven (Sister), convicted of “failing to provide the necessities of life” and sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Michael Scriven (Brother-in-law), convicted of “failing to provide the necessities of life” and sentenced to 20 months in jail.

Source
Betty Anne Gagnon’s caregivers get jail terms in death
Inquiry into mentally disabled woman’s death likely to raise uncomfortable questions
Betty Anne Gagnon death inquiry hears of caregivers’ descent into drugs, depression
Paula Simons: Who killed Betty Anne Gagnon? We may not like the answers
Denise Scriven testifies that break down prevented her from caring for her disabled sister
Woman who served time for death of sister testifies that breakdown prevented her from caring for sibling
Betty Anne Gagnon’s sister testifies about suicide plan, drug use
Fatality inquiry into disabled woman’s death makes 13 recommendations
Report into death of mentally disabled woman in Alberta calls for better programs

Christopher Churchill

No PhotoName: Christopher Justin Churchill (First name sometimes spelled “Christophe”).
Died: September 18, 2009.
Age at death: 33.
Cause of death: Malnutrition.
Location: Frankfort, Kentucky, USA.
Disability: Intellectual disability.

Details:
When Christopher died while in the care of his adoptive sister, weighing only 60 pounds, police could not find enough evidence to tell whether he had been neglected. His death, due to “protein calorie malnutrition”, was listed as natural.

Six years later, however, another sibling was found, alive but malnourished and dehydrated, locked in their sister’s closet. After she was rescued, Christopher’s death investigation was re-opened, but no charges were brought.

Case status:
Candy Lawson (Sister), charged with abuse-related offenses against Christopher’s sister; under investigation for Christopher’s murder; sentenced to 10-20 years in prison for abuse, false imprisonment, and embezzling.

Source:
Candy Lawson trial focuses on tiny closet, brother’s death in Kentucky
Abuse charge leads to new look at malnutrition death
Inside tiny closet where woman kept her disabled sister for seven years
Woman Found Guilty Of Locking Disabled Sister In 4×8 Closet With Just Bucket For 7 Years
Candy Lawson trial focuses on tiny closet, brother’s death in Kentucky
Candy Lawson receives maximum sentence for locking sister in closet
Abuse Charge Against Michigan Woman Leads To New Look At Man’s Malnutrition Death
Michigan Woman Faces Prison For Locking Disabled Sister In Closet For Years
Woman Who Locked Deaf Sister In Room For 7 Years Convicted
Not My Sister’s Keeper: Woman Locks Deaf/Mute Sister In 7′ X 4′ Closet For Years Until Hero Handyman Turns Her In
Mich. abuse charge leads to new look at malnutrition death
Police Searching For Abuse Suspect’s Missing Siblings