Age: Adult – Page 8 – Disability Day of Mourning

Guadalupe Martinez

Name: Guadalupe “Lupita” Martinez.
Died: January 28, 2021.
Age at death: 30.
Cause of death: Throat cut.
Location: Othello, Washington, USA.
Disability: Autism, intellectual disability.

Details:
Guadalupe, called “Lupita” by her family, lived with her mother and her mother’s boyfriend. Her mother’s boyfriend killed her mother after an argument; then, when Guadalupe walked in on the killing, he slammed her head against the cement and cut her throat.

Guadalupe loved nail polish, costume jewelry and music.

Case status:
Mauricio Nava-Garibay (Mother’s boyfriend), pleaded guilty to murder, sentenced to 43 years.

Source:
Man who killed, dismembered 2 Othello women gets 43 years in prison
Guadalupe Martinez Obituary
Autism Memorial: Guadalupe Martinez
‘We are all scared’: Neighbors speak after the murders of two women in Othello
Othello man admits to murdering two women: Court documents
Man Stabs and Chops Up Girlfriend And Her Daughter After Argument

Michael Montgomery

Name: Michael Montgomery.
Died: January 13, 2021.
Age at death: 34.
Cause of death: Stabbing.
Location: Wichita, Kansas, USA.
Disability: Unspecified; wheelchair user.

Details:
Police found Michael’s cousin lying on the road in the middle of traffic; he confessed to them that he had killed his cousin. When they searched his house, they found Michael’s wrapped body in a crawl space. His cousin had stabbed him to death.

Michael’s caregiver says he was kind, caring, and often talked about how much he loved his family. “I know how he is, she says, “and how he would tell me, you gotta stay strong. Keep that smile on your face.”

Case status:
Jason Payne (Cousin), pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, sentenced to 19.5 years in prison.

Source:
Kansas man sentenced for killing his disabled cousin
Wichita man admits murdering wheelchair-bound cousin found stuffed in crawl space
Affidvait: Man confesses to killing cousin, placing body in bag, inside crawlspace
Wichita cops found slain man’s body zipped in bag in basement crawl space: affidavit
Caretaker speaks out after former patient is murdered
Police identify man killed in disturbance at E. Wichita home
Wichita stabbing victim identified, cousin arrested

Ms. Hsu and her children

No Photo Name: Ms. Hsu.
Age at death: 57.
Disability: Cancer.

24-year-old man.
Disability: Epilepsy.

11-year-old girl.
Disability: Aphasia.

Died: December 4, 2020.
Cause of death: Carbon monoxide poisoning.
Location: Kaohsiung City, Taiwan.

Details:
Ms. Hsu and her two children were killed by her husband, their father, when he put them in the back seat of their car and gassed all of them to death with the exhaust fumes.

Case status:
Mr. Chien (Husband, father), deceased.

Source:
Group urges awareness of caregivers after deaths
Family of four found dead in apparent murder-suicide in Kaohsiung

Mr. Mukai

No Photo Name: Mukai (Family name; given name unknown).
Died: December 2020.
Age at death: 51.
Cause of death: Insulin overdose.
Location: Osaka, Japan.
Disability: Diabetes.

Details:
Mr. Mukai’s wife gave him an overdose of insulin, which he had not been prescribed, causing him to fall into a coma. He remained hospitalized until he died the next year.

Case Status:
Shizuka Mukai (Wife), convicted of murder, sentenced to 15 years.

Sources:
Court rejects appeal of woman jailed for 15 years for killing husband with insulin overdose
A 48-year-old woman arrested in Osaka for suspected murder or insulin administration to her husband Osaka

William and Eric Smithson

No Photo Name:William Harvey Smithson.
Age at death: 78.
Disability: Chronic illness/frail elder.

Name: Eric Russell Smithson.
Age at death: 54.
Disability: Unspecified special needs.

Died: November 24, 2020.
Cause of death: Shooting.
Location: Clermont, Florida, USA.

Details:
William and his son Eric lived with his wife. Authorities concluded that William’s wife shot and killed her husband and son, then killed herself.

Case status:
Joyce Lorraine Smithson (wife/mother), died by suicide.

Source:
Florida woman accused of killing husband, son with special needs in double murder-suicide
Deputies: Woman killed her husband, son with special needs before killing herself
Elderly Woman Murdered Her Ill Husband and Special Needs Son Before Dying by Suicide: Deputies
Incident 11-24-2020 Florida Clermont 2-1

Larry Hawks

Photo of a man in a baseball cap printed with an eagle. He has dark hair, light skin, and a full beard. His shirt is red; he has his hands behind his head and is leaning back. Name: Larry Grey Hawks.
Died: November 4, 2020.
Age at death: 42.
Cause of death: Sepsis, thrombosis.
Location: Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA.
Disability: Myelomeningocele spina bifida, Hirschsprung’s disease, brain malformation.

Details:
Larry was found at home, not breathing, and was pronounced dead. An autopsy determined he had died from blood poisoning from bedsores and blood clots from prolonged immobility, and his caregivers were arrested.

Case Status:
Sandra Oliver Hawks (Mother), pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and neglect of a disabled adult by failing to provide care causing serious injury, sentenced to 13-25 months.
Crystal Dawn Hawks (Sister), pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and neglect of a disabled adult by failing to provide care causing serious injury, sentenced to 13-25 months.

Source:
Mother, sister sentenced after disabled man dies of neglect, Forsyth County District Attorney says
Autopsy: Winston-Salem man died from complications from bedsores and other issues. Mother and sister accused of neglect.
Winston-Salem mother, daughter face charges in homicide investigation after death of relative who was ‘severely disabled’
The mother and sister of a Winston-Salem homicide victim face charges in the man’s death
Winston-Salem mother, daughter charged with involuntary manslaughter, neglect in death of disabled man
Larry Hawks Obituary (1978 – 2020) – Forsyth, NC – Winston-Salem Journal

Shannon Lloyd

Name: Shannon Lloyd.
Died: October 28, 2020.
Age at death: 46.
Cause of death: Neglect.
Location: Racine, Wisconsin, USA.
Disability: TBI and physical injuries from childhood motor vehicle accident.

Details:
Shannon lived with his mother, who cared for him. When he fell, she allegedly did not call for help; instead, she dragged him to the bathroom and waited for days. Concerned family members had been unable to reach him or his mother, and finally asked the police to do a welfare check. Shannon was found dead on his bathroom floor, and his mother was arrested. Police say that she said she didn’t want to take him to the hospital even though she knew he probably had broken bones, and wanted him to “die a peaceful death”.

Shannon loved animals, especially his “fur baby”, Bella. He enjoyed reading, sports, and classic rock music

Case status:
Cheryl Christensen (Mother), charged with negligently subjecting an individual at risk to abuse causing death, obstructing an officer, and disorderly conduct. Currently hospitalized pending restoration of competency to stand trial.

Source:
Racine woman facing charges after leaving son to ‘die a peaceful death’ on bathroom floor
63-year-old Racine woman charged in the death of her son found incompetent a second time
Shannon Robert Lloyd Obituary (1974 – 2020) Racine Journal Times
Caretaker faces charges in disabled man’s death
Racine woman charged for allegedly allowing son to die on bathroom floor of home she thought had ‘mad energy’
Racine woman facing charges after leaving son to ‘die a peaceful death’ on bathroom floor
Competency determination delayed for woman accused of allowing disabled son to die

Adrian White

Photo of a woman with curly short black hair, tan skin, and light make-up. Her expression is neutral. Name: Adrian White.
Died: October 23, 2020.
Age at death: 43.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Jefferson County, Alabama, USA.
Disability: Leukemia, in remission.

Details:
Adrian was shot by her fiance in a murder-suicide.

She lived with her fiance and her father, who has dementia, and helped care for him. She was the youngest of twelve siblings; her family remembers her as “a caretaker and a jokester”. She was a University of Alabama graduate who worked as a systems analyst. Her father survived the murder-suicide unharmed and was hospitalized for observation.

Case status:
Her fiancé (Deceased).

Source:
‘She was angelic’: Family stunned at woman’s death in Jefferson County murder-suicide
Man and woman dead in apparent murder-suicide in Jeffco subdivision

Timothy Gramlich

Name: Timothy Gramlich.
Died: October 18, 2020.
Age at death: 52.
Cause of death: Untreated urinary tract infection.
Location: Abington, Pennsylvania, USA.
Disability: Down syndrome.

Details:
Timothy died from sepsis secondary to an untreated urinary tract infection. According to police, he was found uncared-for in filthy conditions, his brother was his sole caretaker, and he had not been to the doctor since the early 2000s.

Case Status:
Harry Gramlich (Brother), found guilty of involuntary manslaughter, sentenced to 6-12 months in jail and 5 years probation.
Elizabeth Anne Gramlich (Sister), pleaded guilty to neglect of a care-dependent person, sentenced to 10 years probation.
Joseph T. Gramlich (Brother), pleaded guilty to neglect of a care-dependent person, sentenced to 10 years probation and a $1,000 fine.

Source:
Montco Man Sentenced to Jail, Probation in Death of Disabled Brother
A Glenside man was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in his disabled brother’s death
Judge weighing fate of Abington man accused of manslaughter, neglect in death of brother with Down syndrome
Trial begins for Abington man accused of manslaughter and neglect in death of brother who had Down syndrome
Sister Of Neglected Man With Down Syndrome Who Died In Montco Pleads Guilty
Two more siblings of dead Abington man face charges of neglecting care dependent person
Police: Abington man with Down syndrome died after brother left him emaciated, neglected
Montgomery County man charged with murder and neglect in the death of his disabled brother
Brother Charged After Disabled Man Dies From Neglect: Montco DA
Timothy W. Gramlich Obituary – Visitation & Funeral Information

Enedina Sohlke

Photo of a woman with brown hair and olive-tone skin, wearing a white sweater and sitting at a table with food in front of her. She is wearing glasses. Name: Enedina “Nina” Sohlke.
Died: October 11, 2020.
Age at death: 47.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma.
Location: South Bend, Indiana, USA.
Disability: Leg amputee, kidney transplant.

Details:
Nina began living with her caregiver and romantic partner, but he prevented her from seeing her family, kept her from her medical appointments, and finally beat her to death.

Nina was known for helping children from bad homes.

Case Status:
Mark Coleman (Caregiver, partner), convicted of murder, sentenced to 65 years.

Sources:
‘In the most heinous way possible:’ Man given maximum sentence in Webster Street murder
Family honoring SB woman murdered in Oct. 2020