Charity Depina

Photo of Charity Depina, a young woman with curly black hair and tan skin, wearing a blue fairy costume with wings showing behind her back.Name: Charity Depina.
Died: November 10, 2017.
Age at death: 22.
Cause of death: Head, chest, and abdominal trauma.
Location: Fresno, California, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Charity DePina was a polite, high-spirited young woman who attended Bible study and other church services three times a week.

She loved listening to music, watching comedies and eating burgers and fries at Burger King and Mexican pizzas at Taco Bell. Her hair was a big deal. She was always getting it done in braids and she liked to change the color once a month. Her favorite colors were red and blue.
–Sacramento Bee

Charity was studying to become a teacher’s aide.

Charity’s boyfriend, who had a history of violently assaulting her, beat her to death with a curtain rod.

Case status:
Gabriel Salinas (Boyfriend), pleaded no contest to second-degree murder and torture, sentenced to 22 years to life.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Charity Depina
Jealous of cousin, murder suspect’s own words build criminal case in brutal beating
Fresno man who fatally beat, tortured woman he met online agrees to plea deal
Man confesses to beating girlfriend to death with closet rod, police say
Man takes blame for girlfriend’s death in Fresno
She wanted ‘love and attention.’ Her boyfriend is charged with torturing and killing her

63-year-old man and 83-year-old woman

No PhotoName Unknown, male.
Died: November 9, 2017.
Age at death: 63.
Disability: Intellectual disability, cerebral palsy.

Name Unknown, female.
Died: November 10, 2017.
Age at death: 83.
Disability: Dementia, wheelchair user.

Cause of death: Smoke inhalation and burns.
Location: Kangasala, Finland.

Details:
This 83-year-old woman and her 63-year-old son died when their house was set on fire by a relative.

The son was known by neighbors as a kind, helpful man who could often be seen taking walks around the neighborhood.

Case status:
Lilya Carmen Lilith Lehtonen (Granddaughter of the 83-year-old woman, niece of the 63-year-old man), convicted of murder and destruction of property, sentenced to life.

Source:
Tällaisesta rikoksesta Linna-sarjan Lilja vangittiin elinkautiseen – palossa kuolivat isoäiti ja kehitysvammainen setä
Kangasalan murhapoltosta tuomittu muutti kertomustaan hovioikeudessa – oikeus ei uskonut tarinaa, tuomio säilyy elinkautisena
Woman charged in double arson murder
Poliisi julkaisi kuvan autosta – epäilee liittyvän Kangasalla kuolemaan johtaneeseen tulipaloon
MURHA.INFO • katso viestiketjua – Kangasalan tulipaloa tutkitaan kahtena murhana
Uutta tietoa Kangasalan epäillyistä murhista: Vangittu nainen on palossa kuolleiden sukulainen – ”Erittäin raaka ja julma tekotapa”
Kangasalan rajussa palossa menehtyivät äiti ja poika – naapurin Sinikka: ”He olivat mukavia ihmisiä”
Uutta tietoa Kangasalan kaksoismurhasta: Uhrien nuori sukulaisnainen vangittu epäiltynä
Äiti ja poika kuolivat, naapurusto järkyttyi Kangasalan epäillystä murhapoltosta: ”Hän oli erittäin topakka nainen”
Kahdesta murhasta epäilty nainen purki turhautumistaan Youtube-kanavallaan ja kertoi avoimesti mielenterveysongelmistaan
Kangasalan tulipalossa kuolivat äiti ja poika – Talon omistaja oli hetkellisesti muualla: ”Ei voida tietää, mikä epäillyn tarkoitus oli”
30-vuotiaalle naiselle syyte kahdesta murhasta – äiti ja poika kuolivat rajussa tulipalossa Kangasalla

Jimmy Anglin

Photo of young man with short hair and tan skin, wearing a yellow and red striped polo shirt.Name: Jimmy Lee Anglin.
Died: Missing November 3, 2017; body found about 2 years later.
Age at death: 27.
Cause of death: Shooting.
Location: Oglethorpe County, Georgia, USA.
Disability: Unspecified; on “disability fixed income”.

Details:
Jimmy received disability payments, and his cousin often took them from him; but when Jimmy started refusing to give him the money, he disappeared. Two years after Jimmy went missing, his bones were found. His cousin had taken him out to the woods, shot him, and dismembered the body.

Case Status:
Robert David Jordan (Cousin), convicted of malice murder, sentenced to life without parole.

Sources:
Oglethorpe County man sentenced to life without parole in shotgun slaying of his cousin
Disappearance of Oglethorpe man remains a mystery
Murder charge filed in 2-year-old missing man case
Brothers charged in death of man reported missing 2 years ago

Mason Blum

No PhotoName: Mason Blum.
Died: November 1, 2017.
Age at death: 2.
Cause of death: Neglect.
Location: Pen Argyl, Pennsylvania, USA.
Disability: Mobility impaired, nonverbal.

Details:
Mason’s mother put him in the bathtub with the water running, and left him there while she got high. He drowned.

Case status:
Michelle Wallace (Mother), pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, sentenced to 5-10 years.

Source:
Slate Belt mom admits she was on drugs, allowed 2-year-old special needs child to drown in tub.
Drugged mom pleads guilty in drowning death of disabled 2-year-old
Baby died of drowning and Slate Belt case labeled homicide
Toddler’s death in mother’s bath tub a homicide, coroner rules
Police charge Pen Argyl mom with manslaughter; toddler found in tub
Slate Belt woman charged in her disabled 2-year-old’s death in tub
Autopsy complete in death of 2-year-old Pen Argyl boy
Slate Belt mom admits she was on drugs, allowed 2-year-old special needs child to drown in tub.

James Chewning

Photo of an elderly man with neat gray hair and fair skin, wearing glasses and Methodist religious vestments.Name: James Chewning.
Died: November 1, 2017.
Age at death: 79.
Cause of death: Blunt force trauma, sepsis.
Location: Saluda, South Carolina, USA.
Disability: Stroke.

Details:
James’s stepson, who had financial power of attorney over him, took him out of the retirement home where he had lived since his stroke. To access his money, his stepson tied him to the bed and gagged him, refusing him medical care and beating him while he drained James’s bank account. James died from abuse and neglect.

James was a retired Methodist minister. He is remembered as “a man of God”, mentor to his community, kind and caring.

Case status:
Donald Chewning (Stepson), pleaded guilty to abuse or neglect of a vulnerable adult resulting in death, sentenced to 22 years.
Kathy Laine Chewning (Daughter-in-law), convicted of neglect of a vulnerable adult resulting in death, sentenced to 14 years.
Amber Nicole Trent (Granddaughter), charged with abuse or neglect of a vulnerable adult resulting in death.
Nicole Krystyn Chewning (Granddaughter), charged with abuse or neglect of a vulnerable adult resulting in death.

Source:
Man gets 22 years for abusing elderly SC Methodist minister to death
Saluda man handed 22-year sentence after stepfather died of neglect
Fourth arrest made in case of former reverend found dead and bound to bed

Elba Monroig

Photo of an older woman with fair skin and gray hair cut in a businesslike style, lying back in a hospital bed with her head propped on her hands.Name: Elba Enid Monroig.
Died: October 27, 2017.
Age at death: 61.
Cause of death: Head trauma.
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Disability: Visually impaired, wheelchair user.

Details:
Elba’s housemate and caregiver bludgeoned her to death with a hammer and hid her body in the basement. She had given him a place to stay after he got out of jail.

Case status:
Eric Mackey (Housemate, caregiver), convicted of first-degree murder, sentenced to life in prison.

Source:
Trial begins for man accused of beating woman in wheelchair to death
Philly man convicted for beating woman in wheelchair to death, hiding her body
Elba Enid Monroig

Sana Iqbal

Photo of Sana Iqbal, a young woman with light skin and wavy dark-brown hair. She is wearing a big pair of sunglasses, a colorful blue and yellow scarf, and a jacket. The photo is taken outdoors.Name: Sana Iqbal.
Died: October 24, 2017.
Age at death: 30.
Cause of death: Head injury.
Location: Narsingi, Hyderabad, India.
Disability: Depression.

Details:
Sana and her husband were involved in a car accident, in which she died. Her death was initially categorized as accidental, but her family demanded that the authorities investigate further. They said that Sana had told them about her abusive husband, that she feared for her life, and that if she died, it would be murder. Repeated complaints of domestic abuse had been filed without much action.

Finally the authorities arrested Sana’s husband. Authorities suspect him of hitting her on the head with something heavy before ramming the car into a concrete divider.

Sana was a biker who made a cross-country journey to raise awareness about depression and suicide.

Case status:
Abdul Nadeem (Husband), charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

Source:
Who was Sana Iqbal, the girl biker who died recently?
Famous Biker Sana Iqbal, Who Fought Depression With Speed, Tragically Dies In A Car Crash
Woman who campaigned against depression, suicide dies in accident
Husband, in-laws, planned her death, alleges Sana Iqbal’s mother
Biker Sana Iqbal death: Husband Nadeem says he’s innocent, denies allegations of murder
biker: What killed Hyderabad’s most loved bikerni?
Sana Iqbal’s accident ‘pre-planned murder by her husband’, says mother of cross-country biker
Hyderabad rider Sana Iqbal’s husband arrested in accident case, gets bail

Sherin Mathews

Photo of Sherin Mathews, a young girl with tan skin and chin-length brown hair, wearing a dress with pink polka-dots on it.Name: Sherin Mathews.
Died: October 22, 2017 (Body found); died October 7, 2017.
Age at death: 3.
Cause of death: Choked.
Location: Dallas, Texas, USA.
Disability: Developmental disability, failure to thrive.

Details:
Sherin’s adoptive father claimed she had been adopted from India with developmental delays, malnutrition, and an “eating disorder”. When he brought her to the hospital with broken bones, he claimed that she had brittle bones from being malnourished at the orphanage.

Her adoptive father was trying to force her to drink milk at 3 a.m., and choked her to death doing it. He then dumped her body and pretended she had gone missing, before eventually confessing to the killing. The autopsy confirmed that Sherin’s cause of death was “homicidal violence”.

Later, the orphanage came forward and reported that Sherin had not had trouble eating. Her “eating disorder” may have been a fabrication to cover up her murder. She was merely small for her age, a condition called “failure to thrive” which is common in children with difficult backgrounds. The broken bones she had suffered months before her death had nothing to do with malnutrition and everything to do with child abuse.

Case status:
Wesley Mathews (Adoptive father), pleaded guilty to injury to a child by omission, sentenced to 30 years to life.

Source:
Wesley Mathews, Accused of Killing Girl, 3, Pleads Guilty to Lesser Charge
Sherin Mathews death: Foster dad pleads guilty to lesser charge
Man gets life sentence in 3-year-old daughter’s death
Capital murder trial set to begin for ‘dad’ who claimed he locked slain tot outside at 3 a.m. for not drinking her milk
Sherin Mathews abandoned in India before alley abandonment that may have led to death
A father reported his 3-year-old missing. Then he told police he’d watched her die.
Texas dad admits disposing of child’s body, affidavit says
Father of Sherin Mathews says he watched as his 3 year old child choked on milk and died
‘Sherin Mathews didn’t have developmental disability’; foster father on suicide watch in jail
Mother Of Girl Who Allegedly Died Drinking Milk Arrested For Leaving Her Alone And Going Out To Dinner
Sherin Mathews Was Being Abused Months Before Her Death, Pediatrician Told Child Protective Services
Autopsy Reveals 3-Year-Old Sherin Mathews Died from ‘Homicidal Violence’
Sherin Mathews Update: Slain AMBER Alert toddler died from ‘homicidal violence’
Sherin Mathews died from ‘homicidal violence,’ autopsy finds
U.S. Adoption Agency Banned from India Following Death of Toddler Sherin
Father charged with murder in death of 3-year-old Indian girl
Texas father charged with murder in death of Indian orphan
Father Charged in Murder of 3-Year-Old Adopted Orphan Sherin Mathews
TX dad charged with capital murder in death of 3-year-old
Who Is Wesley Mathews? Sherin Mathews’ Father Charged With Missing Texas Toddler’s Murder
BREAKING: Death Penalty for Sherin Mathews’ Father? Wesley Mathews Indicted on Capital Murder Charge
Wesley Mathews charged with CAPITAL MURDER in death of adopted toddler, Sherin Mathews
Texas father charged with murder in death of Indian orphan
Sherin Mathews case: Father who claimed girl choked on milk charged with murder
Texas father charged with murder in death of daughter adopted from Indian orphanage
Wesley Mathews Allegedly Used ‘Deadly Weapon’ to Kill Daughter Sherin Mathews
New Texas Law Inspired by Three-year-old Toddler Sherin Mathews’ Death
Bond reduced for Richardson man accused in death of his adopted daughter
In Sherin Mathews’ Death Case, Foster Parents To Be Tried Separately

Dayvid Pakko

hoto of Dayvid Pakko, a young boy with fair skin, blond hair, and dark brown eyes. He is smiling for the camera.Name: Dayvid Pakko.
Died: October 17, 2017.
Age at death: 6.
Cause of death: Drowning.
Location: Lynnwood, Washington, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Dayvid was drowned in the bathtub by his uncle.

He was “smart as a whip”, a first-grader who loved cars, trains, planes, and Legos.

Case status:
Andrew Henckel (Uncle); pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, sentenced to 18 years 4 months.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Dayvid Pakko
Man sentenced for drowning his 6-year-old nephew in bathtub
Police: Man admits to drowning 6-year-old Washington boy, leaving body in dumpster
Relative of 6-year-old Lynnwood boy arrested for murder
Police: 19-year-old family member confesses to drowning 6-year-old Lynnwood boy
Body Of Missing 6-Year-Old With Autism Found In Dumpster, Teen Relative Arrested
6-Year-Old Missing Washington Boy’s Body Found In Dumpster, Relative Confesses To Murder
Body of missing autistic boy found stuffed in dumpster; teen relative in custody
19-year-old arrested after 6-year-old Lynnwood boy found in dumpster
Cops: Teen uncle confessed to drowning autistic boy in bathtub
New documents reveal no motive in horrendous murder of 6-year-old Lynnwood boy
Kerrville man accused of killing nephew: ‘I did not do this’
Cops: Uncle confessed to drowning autistic boy in bathtub
Teen accused of drowning 6-year-old Lynnwood boy held on $1 million bail
Police: Family member admits to drowning boy, 6, with autism
Bail set at $1 million for 19-year-old man accused of murdering 6-year-old nephew
Man pleads guilty to murder in drowning of 6-year-old nephew

Masako Kumada

No PhotoName: Masako Kumada.
Died: October 16, 2017.
Age at death: 61.
Cause of death: Throat cut.
Location: Otawara City, Japan.
Disability: Unspecified chronic illness.

Details:
Ms. Kumada’s husband allegedly slit her throat with a knife because he was “worried about their future as a married couple”.

Case status:
Masao Kumada (Husband), arrested on suspicion of murder.

Source:
Tochigi man stabs bedridden wife to death