Age: Elder – Page 45 – Disability Day of Mourning

John Pehota

Photo of John Pehota, a fair-skinned, balding man in a sports-themed sleeveless shirt and glasses. Name: John “Jack” Pehota.
Died: September 23, 2015.
Age at death: 77.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: The Hammock, Florida, USA.
Disability: Heart condition, mobility impairment.

Details:
John was shot by his wife.

He loved the outdoors, especially hunting and fishing, and collected guns. In 2005, a local newspaper published a letter to the editor that John had written, in which he complained about a recent ban on beach-going vehicles. The ban on vehicles extended to John’s mobility scooter, and because he could not walk to the beach while carrying his fishing tackle, the ban prevented him from going fishing.

John owned a small dog and was often seen walking the dog around his neighborhood.

Case status:
Anna Pehota (Wife), convicted of second-degree murder, sentenced to life without parole, with a mandatory minimum of 25 years.

Source: Anna Pehota, 75, Charged With 2nd-Degree Murder for Shooting Husband in Hammock
“He Kept Pushing Me Mentally”: Anna and John Pehota’s Life Before She Shot Him

Margaret Yamaguchi

Photo of Margaret Yamaguchi, a middle-aged Asian woman wearing a white dress and holding a bouquet of red roses. Name: Margaret Machiko Yamaguchi.
Died: September 7, 2015.
Age at death: 61.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Covina, California, USA.
Disability: Unspecified (Assisted living facility resident).

Details:
Margaret’s daughter went to the assisted living center where she was staying and stabbed her to death.

Case status:
Athina Sumi Rivera (Daughter), pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, sentenced to 10-16 years.

Source:
Woman Allegedly Stabs Mother to Death at Assisted Living Facility in Covina
Woman gets 16 year prison sentence for stabbing mother to death at Covina senior living facility
Margaret Yamaguchi Obituary

Meryl Parry

Photo of Meryl Parry. She is an elderly woman with fair skin and white hair. She is outdoors, wearing a blue coat with the hood up. Name: Meryl Parry.
Died: September 2, 2015.
Age at death: 80.
Cause of death: Asphyxia.
Location: Ainstable, England, UK.
Disability: Dementia.

Details:
Meryl’s husband allegedly drugged her with sleeping pills, then put a plastic bag over her face and smothered her with a pillow.

Meryl was a retired teacher.

Case status:
Michael Parry (Husband); charged with murder, let out on bail, and committed suicide.

Source:
Murder of Meryl Parry by husband Michael ‘could not have been predicted’

Brian Darbyshire

No Photo
Name: Brian Darbyshire.
Died: September 2, 2015.
Age at death: 67.
Cause of death: Asphyxia.
Location: Dagenham, London, England, UK.
Disability: Multiple sclerosis.

Details:
Brian’s daughter suffocated him with a plastic bag. She claimed it had been an “assisted suicide” and that Brian had wanted to die because of his MS, but she was convicted of murder.

Case status:
Claire Darbyshire (Daughter), convicted of murder, sentenced to 4 years to life.

Source:
Carer who suffocated her bedridden father found guilty of murder
Convicted murderer living on streets of Hounslow after prison release

Sharon Johnson

No Photo Name: Sharon R. Johnson.
Died: August 27, 2015.
Age at death: 65.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Fairview, Mississippi, USA.
Disability: Unspecified.

Details:
Sharon was stabbed to death by her caregiver.

Case status:
Jimmy Carpenter (Caregiver), convicted of murder, sentenced to life without parole as a habitual offender.

Source:
Itawamba County murder suspect found guilty
Stabbing suspect charged with murder

Elaine Latshaw

No Photo
Name: Elaine Latshaw.
Died: August 15, 2015.
Age at death: 76.
Cause of death: Starvation, sepsis, pneumonia.
Location: Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania, USA.
Disability: Elderly; mobility impaired.

Details:
Elaine was neglected by her son and daughter-in-law. She died of a combination of starvation, systemic infection from untreated bedsores, and pneumonia.

Case status:
John F. Latshaw Jr. (Son), pled no contest to involuntary manslaughter, sentenced to 3-24 months in prison.
Dorothy Robinson (Daughter-in-law), pled no contest to involuntary manslaughter, sentenced to 3-24 months in prison.

Source:
Couple charged in woman’s death by neglect
Elder Abuse or Respecting Last Wishes?
Police Charge Couple in 2015 Death in Schuylkill County
2 from Mahanoy City to face homicide charges
2 sentenced for role in woman’s death

Albert Vereen

An African-American man in a white T-shirt. Name: Albert Lee Vereen.
Died: August 7, 2015.
Age at death: 63.
Cause of death: Sepsis.
Location: Longs, South Carolina, USA.
Disability: Unspecified; wheelchair user.

Details:
When Albert was admitted to the hospital in poor condition, doctors called police to report neglect. The next day, he died of sepsis from a large, untreated bedsore.

Albert had seven grandchildren.

Case status:
Ronya Green (Daughter), charged with abuse or neglect of a vulnerable adult resulting in death.
Albert Vereen Jr. (Son), charged with abuse or neglect of a vulnerable adult resulting in death.

Source:
Obituary of Albert Lee Vereen – Longs South Carolina
2 arrested for neglect after father dies from untreated bedsore

Norma Ludlam

Name: Norma Ludlam.
Died: July 6, 2015.
Age at death: 75.
Cause of death: Head injury.
Location: Eli Waters, Queensland, Australia.
Disability: Frail elder.

Details:
Norma was severely beaten by her neighbor and caregiver. She was taken to the hospital alive, but survived only two days before succumbing to head injuries.

Case Status:
Frederick Ronald Sinfield (Neighbor, caregiver), convicted of murder, sentenced to life.

Sources:
Hervey Bay carer denies murdering frail friend | The Courier Mail
Man charged with 75-year-old Norma’s brutal murder
The Queen v Sinfield (No 2) [2019] QSCPR 5
Man accused of murdering 75yo Fraser Coast woman remanded in custody

Anne Schmidt

No Photo Name: Anne Schmidt.
Died: July 5, 2015.
Age at death: 73.
Cause of death: Fire.
Location: Vineland, Ontario, Canada.
Disability: Unspecified; wheelchair user.

Details:
Police had been called to Anne Schmidt’s home because of a domestic disturbance. When they got there, they found that her son had poured gasoline all over the living room; and when an officer approached, Anne’s son ignited the gasoline. Anne was in a wheelchair and unable to escape the flames; she and her son both died. The police officer who had tried to help her was badly burned, but recovered.

Case status:
Karl Schmidt (Son), deceased.

Source:
Vineland explosion ruled murder-suicide
Officers hailed for ‘heroic efforts’ in Vineland explosion
NRPS officers heroic acts recognized by SIU
Obituary of Anne and Karl Schmidt
Long road ahead for burned police officer

Debra Mae Shelton

Photo of Debra Mae Shelton, a middle-aged woman with brown hair and pale skin. She has a round face and is smiling slightly. Name: Debra Mae Shelton.
Died: June 14, 2015.
Age at death: 61.
Cause of death: Complications of untreated abscess.
Location: Carleton, Michigan, USA.
Disability: Diabetes, chronic illness.

Details:
Debra Mae had been badly neglected when she was brought in to the hospital. She died from complications of high blood sugar and an untreated abscess that had caused infection to spread throughout her body.

Case status:
Robert G. Shelton (Husband), pleaded no contest to second-degree vulnerable adult abuse, sentenced to 5 years probation.

Source:
Offender Tracking Information System (OTIS) – Offender Profile
Carleton man pleads in wife’s death
Debra Shelton’s Obituary
Debra Shelton
Woman who weighed 550lbs had live MAGGOTS living on her skin
‘He did all he could’: Friend defends Carleton man in jail