Age: Elder – Page 29 – Disability Day of Mourning

Cynthia Brunner

No Photo Name: Cynthia Braverman Brunner.
Died: February 19, 2018.
Age at death: 74.
Cause of death: Diabetic ketoacidosis, heart disease.
Location: Cary, North Carolina, USA.
Disability: Diabetes, chronic illness; required caregiver.

Details:
Cynthia’s son called 911, and medics arrived to find her dead on the floor where she had fallen and lain for more than a day. Her son had allegedly seen her fall down the stairs, but refused to call for help because he “wanted her to die”.

Case status:
Eric Paul Brunner (Son), charged with second-degree murder and elder abuse; convicted of domestic neglect of a disabled or elderly person, released on a 1 year, 11 month suspended sentence.

Source:
Wake County woman died after a fall. Did her autistic son commit murder by neglect?
Son charged with murder and abuse of his mother is being held in protective custody
This Man Allegedly Left His Mother to Die Because He Wanted $30,000 From Her Bank Account
Son knew his injured mom would likely die while he ignored her, Wake deputies say
Man accused of letting mom die withheld medicine, sheriff’s investigator says
Cary man left mom to die after falling down stairs, warrants say
Man Allegedly Walked Over Dying Mother to Gain Inheritance

Akira Uwashitomi

No Photo Name: Akira Uwashitomi.
Died: February 14, 2018.
Age at death: 67.
Cause of death: Traumatic injury.
Location: Kameoka City, Kyoto, Japan.
Disability: Chronic illness.

Details:
Mr. Uwashitomi was brought to the hospital, bleeding internally, and died from shock. Police began questioning his son who, they say, admitted to stomping on his father.

Case status:
Kei Uwashitomi (Son), charged with manslaughter.

Source:
Kyoto: Man, 31, accused of stomping nearly bedridden father to death
31-year-old man arrested for killing bedridden father

Lerae Bush

Name: Lerae Britain Moeller Bush.
Died: February 10, 2018.
Age at death: 85.
Cause of death: Fire.
Location: Bloomington, California, USA.
Disability: Alzheimer’s disease.

Details:
Lerae died in a fire while living with a man who had been caring for her and telling others that he was her son. He started out doing housework for her, then moved on to managing her finances. Allegedly, he eventually kept her locked in a one-room garage without utilities. He tried, but failed, to inherit her estate. Police say Lerae’s caregiver started the fire in which she died.

Lerae was “aristocratic and eccentric”, a retired educator who loved the arts.

Case status:
Noel Montes Cazares, a.k.a. Giovanni Bush, charged with arson, murder, neglect of a dependent and obstruction of justice. Charges dismissed because a key piece of evidence was ruled inadmissible, but may be re-filed.
Misty Allen, charged with assisting a criminal and obstruction of justice; charges dismissed.

Source:
More than 3 years later, charges against man in art patron’s death dismissed. Why?
Man accused of arson, murder out of jail on house arrest
Bloomington police arrest girlfriend of man accused of burning down woman’s home in plot to inherit estate
Bloomington man arrested in California charged with arson, murder
Man charged with murder, arson, neglect in Handy Road fire
Man arrested in California on murder charges in Handy Road fire
Suspect in Monroe County arson, murder claimed to be victim’s son
Police: Man charged with murder used fake name to pose as woman’s son, lit her home on fire

Akie Imai

No Photo Name: Akie Imai.
Died: February 7, 2018.
Age at death: 78.
Cause of death: Strangulation.
Location: Ashikaga, Tochigi, Japan.
Disability: Stroke, causing hemiparesis and speech impediment.

Details:
Police found Akie dead in her apartment. They also found a letter addressed to police from Akie’s husband, which said that he had killed his wife.

Case status:
Tokuji Imai (Husband), sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison.

Source:
85-year-old man who strangled sick wife to ‘put her out of her misery’ gets 2 1/2 years in prison
Tochigi: Man, 85, admits to strangling bedridden wife to death
85-year-old husband says he strangled sick wife to ‘put her out of her misery’

Levi Illingayuk

Photo of Levi Illingayuk, an Inuit man with his head propped on his hand, speaking to someone off-camera. Name: Levi Illingayuk.
Died: February 3, 2018.
Age at death: 66.
Cause of death: Homicide.
Location: Clyde River, Nunavut, Canada.
Disability: COPD.

Details:
Levi’s son smashed in his father’s ribs during a drunken fight. Levi was taken to the hospital but died soon afterward because he could not get enough oxygen.

Levi was Inuit and testified for the Qikiqtani Truth Commission about an incident that happened when he was a child. When he was about 12, some of his family died when their camp fell through the ice into the water. While he and others evacuated from the camp were gone, authorities shot their dogs and bulldozed the camp before the survivors had time to go back and collect their belongings.

Case status:
Christopher Jaypoody (Son), convicted of manslaughter, sentenced to 4 years in prison minus credit for time served; will serve 698 days in jail.

Source:
Nunavut man jailed for vodka-fuelled attack that hastened father’s death
Levi Illingayuk

Barbara Wilmes

Name: Barbara J. Wilmes.
Died: February 3, 2018.
Age at death: 80.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: South Bend, Indiana, USA.
Disability: Alzheimer’s disease.

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

Barbara was a paralegal, a private pilot, a skilled gardener, and a mother and grandmother.

Case status:
Phillip Wilmes (Husband), deceased.

Source:
Find a Grave: Barbara J Korpal Wilmes
Husband-wife deaths on Myrtle Road ruled murder-suicide
Support available for those suffering with Alzheimer’s and Dementia
Neighbors say senior couple found dead suffered from dementia
Friends and family remember elderly couple found dead in St. Joseph County

Adeline Hill

Name: Adeline Hill.
Died: January 29, 2018.
Age at death: 66.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Disability: Unspecified; wheelchair user.

Details:
Adeline and her daughter Renee Cosom, age 42, were shot dead. Police found her daughter’s boyfriend at the house and took him in for questioning.

Case status:
Daughter’s boyfriend; suspect, no charges.

Source:
Adeline Hill, age 66
Victims in Northeast Philadelphia shooting identified
Boyfriend Questioned in Murders of Woman and Her Mother
Man questioned after mother, daughter killed in NE Philly

Nancy Barclay

No Photo Name: Nancy Barclay.
Died: January 24, 2018.
Age at death: 83.
Cause of death: Strangled.
Location: Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Disability: Alzheimer’s disease.

Details:
Nancy and her husband had been married for 63 years. One night, she forgot to take her sleeping tablets; so instead of going to sleep, she went to sit at the kitchen table instead. Finding her there when he woke in the early morning, Nancy’s husband allegedly strangled her until she died.

Case status:
Harold Barclay (Husband), charged with murder, released on bail; died before he could be tried.

Source:
Man killed wife to put her ‘out of her misery’
Elderly husband accused of murdering wife of 60 years in their suburban home
Man, 85, charged with murdering his dementia-suffering wife, 83
Elderly Perth man charged with murder of 83-year-old sick wife
Harold Barclay: Man accused of killing wife who had Alzheimer’s granted bail
Accused ‘mercy killing’ husband dies in hospital

Jeanette Brown

Name: Jeanette Brown.
Died: January 22, 2018.
Age at death: 74.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Halifax, Virginia, USA.
Disability: Bipolar disorder.

Details:
Jeanette was shot by her husband. He claimed that he had “felt sorry for her” because of her bipolar disorder and that it had been a “mercy killing”.

Jeanette and her sisters used to sing at nursing homes. She had bought seeds for a garden she was planning to plant that year.

Case status:
John Frederick Brown (Husband), convicted of murder, sentenced to life.

Source:
Brown gets life for wife’s murder | South Boston Virginia News | TheNewsRecord.com
Murder charge certified; suspect says ‘I’m glad she’s out of her misery’ during recorded interview aired at hearing
Court hears evidence in alleged mercy killing
Jeanette King Brown
Brown faces first degree murder charge in wife’s death

Lorene Hopkins-Pequignot

Name: Lorene “Bug” Hopkins-Pequignot.
Died: January 12, 2018.
Age at death: 69.
Cause of death: Strangled.
Location: Fieldale, Virginia, USA.
Disability: Bipolar disorder.

Details:
Lorene was strangled. Her husband told police it had been a home invasion, but they arrested him, and he was charged with her murder.

She was a retired secretary with a talent for decorating and housekeeping. She read her Bible often.

Case status:
Thomas Richard Pequignot, charged with first-degree murder. In July 2022, Thomas was declared incompetent to stand trial due to progressive dementia and hospitalized indefinitely.

Source:
Victim’s family surprised when husband indicted on charges of murder in 2018 death of woman in Fieldale
New evidence delays start of Henry County murder trial
Victim’s family surprised when husband indicted on charges of murder in 2018 death of woman in Fieldale
How did my sister die? Woman wants answers about year-old case from Henry County Sheriff’s Office