Category: Age: Young Adult

Age 19-29

Tyron Honeywood

Photo of Tyron Honeywood, a young man with brown hair and light skin sitting cross-legged in a wheelchair and smoking a cigarette. He is wearing sunglasses, gloves, and black athletic pants and hoodie.Name: Tyron Paul Honeywood.
Died: March 21, 2014.
Age at death: 25.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Disability: Paraplegic.

Details:
Tyron was shot dead by his father.

Case status:
Brian Robert Honeywood (Father), pleaded guilty to murder, committed suicide just before sentencing.

Source:
Perth father charged with murder of paraplegic son
Brian Honeywood pleads guilty to murdering paraplegic son Tyron in their Midland home
Father, 60, in court on murder charge over disabled son, Tyron Paul Honeywood’s death
Midland man s death a homicide: police
Tyron HONEYWOOD Obituary

Bridget Charlebois

Photo of Bridget Charlebois, a young woman with tan skin and long, straight medium-brown hair. She is wearing a purple sequined tank top and a purple flower in her hair.Name: Bridget Charlebois.
Age at death: 22.
Cause of death: Pneumonia.
Disability: Quadriplegic.
Died: February 2, 2014.
Location: Phoenix, Arizona, USA.

Details:
Bridget’s abusive boyfriend and caregiver had already been caught once leaving her for twelve hours without food or water.

Bridget was nine months pregnant when she had a medical emergency. Instead of helping her or calling emergency services, her boyfriend let her die. By the time an ambulance was called, Bridget was dead, and it was too late to save her baby boy, Isaiah.

Case status:
Andres Bohn Reyes (Bridget’s fiance), convicted of manslaughter, sentenced to 6-7 years.

Source:
Glendale caregiver arrested for murder of disabled fiancee, unborn son
Phoenix Man Accused of Murdering His Quadriplegic Fiancée and Their Unborn Child
Memories of Bridget Charlebois
Man arrested in 2014 deaths of quadriplegic fiancée, unborn son
Mother of pregnant woman: ‘He watched my daughter die’
Police: Phoenix caregiver let pregnant, quadriplegic fiancee die
Caregiver arrested for murder in death of disabled fiancee, unborn son
Arizona man charged for ‘killing pregnant quadriplegic fiance’
Maricopa County Man Arrested For Death Of Woman, Full Term Unborn Child
County Attorney: The Cold Case of a Cold-Hearted Lover
The Latest: Prosecutor: Caregiver ‘did absolutely nothing’
Man Charged With Killing Quadriplegic And Pregnant Fiancee
Man Accused of Killing Quadriplegic Pregnant Fiancee and Her Unborn Child

Vincent Phan

No PhotoName: Vincent Phan.
Died: January 30, 2014.
Age at death: 24.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Lawrenceville, Georgia, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Vincent was shot by his mother, who then killed herself.

Case status:
Thuy Phan (Mother), deceased.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Vincent Phan
Gwinnett Police investigating possible murder/suicide in Lawrenceville
Cops: Woman shoots autistic son, herself in murder-sucide in Gwinnett County
Police: Lawrenceville mother shots autistic son, herself
Police: Mother Kills Autistic Son, Then Herself

David Herrera Jr.

Photo of David Herrera Jr., a young man in a graduation cap and gown.Name: David Herrera Jr.
Died: December 19, 2013.
Age at death: 22.
Cause of death: Fire.
Location: San Antonio, Texas, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
David’s sister and her friend burned down the house with David and his father in it; they wanted the insurance money. David died; his father was seriously injured but recovered.

Case status:
Miranda Herrera (Sister), pleaded guilty to murder, sentenced to 50 years.
Sari Rodriguez, pleaded guilty to murder, sentenced to 60 years.

Source:
Autism Memorial: David Herrera, Jr.
San Antonio woman gets 50 year sentence for fatal house fire
Woman gets 100-year prison term for setting fire that killed brother, injured father

Stephanie Owen

Photo of Stephanie Owen and her mother Sharon Hayter. Stephanie is a young woman with long brown hair; her head is thrown back and she is laughing. Sharon is a woman with short brown hair and glasses; she is smiling and hugging Stephanie.Name: Stephanie Owen.
Died: November 28, 2013.
Age at death: 29.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma.
Location: Knowsley, Merseyside, England, UK.
Disability: Intellectual disability; mobility impairment; diabetic.

Details:
Stephanie’s father bludgeoned her and her mother, Sharon Hayter, to death with a claw hammer.

Case status:
William Owen (Father), pleaded guilty to murder, sentenced to 29 years, 90 days in prison.

Source:
Life sentence for doting dad who murdered his wife and disabled daughter at the family home
William Owen jailed for life for murdering daughter and partner
Claw hammer killer agreed bizarre ‘death pact’ with late partner before murdering disabled daughter

Qyzra Walji

Photo of Qyzra Walji, a young woman with straight brown hair and tan skin, smiling broadly. A wheelchair head rest is visible behind her head.Name: Qyzra Walji.
Died: October 31, 2013.
Age at death: 21.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: London, Ontario, Canada.
Disability: Cerebral palsy.

Details:
When she was about six years old, Qyzra’s parents immigrated to Canada from Tanzania, so that she could get good education and health care.

She was a bright student whose friends remember her smile fondly; she was always smiling. She liked fashion, pop culture, and boys.

She wrote an article in Girls’ Life about her experiences. You can read it here:
The Story Of A Girl With Cerebral Palsy

When their temporary visas expired and the government of Canada planned to deport them, Qyzra’s father shot her and her mother Shyroz in a murder-suicide.

Case status:
Mohamed Walji (Father), deceased.

Source:
Mohamed Walji killed his wife and severely disabled daughter, then himself, but questions remain
Listening to Qyzra
The Story Of A Girl With Cerebral Palsy
Waljis? relative says Immigration at root of family’s desperation
A building super, his wife and disabled daughter were found dead
London police confirm family of murder-suicide died from gunshot wounds
Police search for motive in tragic murder-suicide death of London, Ontario family | National Post
Triple death was murder-suicide

Steven Copo-Horton

School photo of a boy with brown spiky hair, wearing a white T-shirt.Name: Steven Copo-Horton.
Died: October 28, 2013.
Age at death: 18.
Cause of death: Drowning.
Location: Emerton, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Disability: Angelman syndrome.

Details:
Steven drowned in the bathtub. Prosecutors say he could not have gotten into the bathtub on his own.

“All [Steven] wanted to do was kiss and cuddle everyone,” his mother remembers.

Case status:
Charbel Younes (Stepfather), charged with murder. After being released on bail, he broke his wife’s arm and shot at his other stepson. Court subsequently denied bail. Acquitted.

Source:
Stepdad acquitted of murder at retrial
Drowned teen couldn’t have got in bath
Charles Younes trial: Man denies murder of disabled stepson in bathtub
Tradie charged with drowning murder of his disabled teenager stepson
Stepfather charged over teen’s bathtub death
‘Concerning history of violence’: Couple split one week before teen found dead in bath
Man charged with murder over 2013 bathtub drowning of teen
Man who drowned disabled stepson ‘broke ex-wife’s arm and shot a gun’

Martin Meffert

Photo of a man with fair skin and dark-blond hair, wearing a black and white print baseball cap. He has a stubbly beard and mustache.Name: Martin Meffert.
Died: October 24, 2013 (Body found); Missing February 8, 2005.
Age at death: 23.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Terownie, South Australia, Australia.
Disability: Unspecified.

Details:
23-year-old Martin, grieving the death of his mother, arranged to stay with an aunt and some cousins. Then he disappeared.

Eight years later, one of his cousins, who had been collecting Martin’s disability payments, pulled out Martin’s skull and showed it to a friend. This was not reported until a firearms raid found Martin’s bones in plain view in the fireplace of his home. His cousin admitted to shooting Martin in the head and stealing his disability pension for ten years.

Martin loved Bruce Springsteen’s music. He was proud uncle to a baby nephew and awaiting a second nephew when he died.

Case status:
Christopher Travis Scott (Cousin), pleaded guilty to murder, sentenced to life.

Source:
Teen who shot Martin Meffert dead then claimed his Centrelink payments
Martin Meffert murder: Police conduct doorknocks in Terowie, SA
Bones-in-fireplace murder: Sister of Martin Meffert wants to end her family’s torment and get justice
No one had spoken to Martin for years. Then police made a gruesome discovery.
Case against accused cold case murderer labelled ‘weak’
Cold case murder accused remanded in custody
Accused killer pulled skull out of box ‘like a show-and-tell’, court told
Accused Terowie murderer admits to killing relative whose bones were found in fireplace
Killer’s confession leads police to find remains of SA murder victim
Bones of murdered man found at Terowie property
Property searched to find murdered man’s remains

Matthew Hafer

No PhotoName: Matthew Hafer.
Died: Several days before July 27, 2013.
Age at death: 28.
Cause of death: Prescription drug overdose.
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Matthew’s mother poisoned him with an overdose of prescription drugs.

Case status:
Joann Hafer (Mother), pled guilty to second-degree murder; sentenced to 10 years to life.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Matthew Hafer
Woman accused of killing son who had autism set for court
Police: Vegas woman drugged adult son to death
Mom accused of fatally drugging son appears in court
Police: Woman survives suicide attempt, arrested in death of disabled son
Court case

Michael Stevens

No Photo
Name: Michael Stevens.
Died: April 1, 2013.
Age at death: 26.
Cause of death: Choking.
Location: Lakeland, Florida, USA.
Disability: Intellectual disability, epilepsy.

Details:
Michael’s mother neglected him. She didn’t keep him clean, and she often locked him into his room or tied him to a chair. She hadn’t filled his seizure medication prescription in over a year when Michael had a seizure, choked on his vomit, and died.

Case status:
Janet Wade Stevens (Mother), convicted of manslaughter, obstruction of justice, and aggravated abuse; sentenced to 20 years.

Source:
Lakeland Woman Jailed in Death of Her Disabled Son