Category: Type: Homicide-Suicide

Homicide followed by completed suicide.

Virginia Villa

Photo of Virginia Villa, an elderly Latina. She has white hair and is wearing glasses and a black and white sweater. Off to the sides of the picture, two people have their arms around her shoulders.Name: Virginia Villa.
Died: July 12, 2017.
Age at death: 73.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Pacoima, California, USA.
Disability: Chronic illness.

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

She was a foster mother to many children, and worked as a special education assistant before she retired.

Case status:
Gilbert Villa (Husband), deceased.

Source:
Elderly couple killed in Pacoima murder-suicide is identified
Virginia Villa, 73 – The Homicide Report
Virginia Villa, age 73

Grant Heckman

Name: Grant Heckman.
Died: June 19, 2017.
Age at death: 28.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Westphalia, Michigan, USA.
Disability: Cerebral palsy.

Details:
Grant was shot by his father in a murder-suicide.

Grant was named prom king at his special education graduation ceremony. He liked going on walks with his grandfather, and his favorite song was Somewhere Over the Rainbow.

Case status:
George Heckman (Father), deceased.

Source:
‘Saw his son suffer too much, too long,’ friend says of principal in murder-suicide
Principal suspected of killing son, himself in murder-suicide
Police: Pewamo-Westphalia principal killed son, self
Death of elementary principal, son shock small Michigan town
“Losing touch with Reality”: The science behind murder-suicides
Principal suspected in murder-suicide acted ‘out of love,’ friend says
Principal kills himself and disabled son
Murder-suicide of principal, son “leaves a big hole in everyone’s heart”
Why? George Heckman Pewamo-Westphalia principal shoots disabled son dead then self – Scallywag and Vagabond
Police: Michigan elementary school principal killed severely handicapped son, self
Now what? A familiar fear when disabled children turn 26.

Sandra Nickells

No Photo
Name: Sandra Nickells.
Died: June 17, 2017.
Age at death: 72.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Adamsville, Utah, USA.
Disability: Alzheimer’s, chronic illness.

Details:
Sandra was shot by her husband, who called police to report what he had done just before shooting himself as well.

Case status:
Tom Nickells (Husband), deceased.

Source:
Man and wife die in murder-suicide in Beaver County

Lorraine Smith

Photo of Lorraine Smith. She is a woman with light skin and straight brown hair cut to chin-length with bangs. She is smiling at the camera. She is wearing a blue silk turtleneck blouse and some blue beads.Name: Lorraine Gladys Smith, née Shiel.
Died: May 17, 2017.
Age at death: 53.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Jefferson Township, Pennsylvania, USA.
Disability: “Serious medical issues”.

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

She was a mother of one who enjoyed sewing and collecting Kewpie dolls.

Case status:
Edward Smith (Husband), deceased.

Source:
Washington County couple dies in murder-suicide
Two identified in apparent murder-suicide in Eldersville
Man, woman found dead in apparent murder-suicide
Police Investigating Apparent Murder-Suicide In Washington Co.
Lorraine Smith Obituary

Gail Caulfield

No PhotoName: Gail Caulfield.
Died: May 10, 2017 (Body found).
Age at death: 75.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Deltona, Florida, USA.
Disability: Alzheimer’s disease.

Details:
Gail was shot by her husband. He buried her body and claimed she had moved away. Some time later, he committed suicide himself just after telling police where her body was.

Case status:
Laurence Caulfield (Husband), deceased.

Source:
Deputies investigate possible murder-suicide of elderly Deltona couple
Detectives investigating possible murder-suicide in Deltona after man found dead from self-inflicted gunshot wound
Body found in back yard of Deltona home where husband killed self, deputies say
Volusia deputies find body buried in yard after man leaves note about killing wife, kills self
Florida man shoots self and says wife is buried out back
Woman dies, man kills himself when confronted by Osceola County deputies
Sheriff: Human remains found in Deltona backyard where man took his own life, left note saying he killed wife
Man Kills Himself And Leaves Note Saying He Buried Wife In The Backyard
Fla. man kills self, claims in note he buried wife’s body in yard
Man killed wife who was suffering from Alzheimer’s, deputies say

Estelle Swanson

Photo of Essie Swanson, a middle-aged woman with short light-brown hair, fair skin, and glasses, wearing a sundress and photographed outside.Name: Estelle “Essie” Millifera Swanson.
Died: April 9, 2017.
Age at death: 66.
Cause of death: Knife wound.
Location: Kirkland, Washington, USA.
Disability: Chronic illness or mental illness.

Details:
Essie was stabbed to death by her husband in a murder-suicide.

She was a retired physical therapist and the mother to one daughter. She enjoyed woodworking, hiking, and badminton. She volunteered for a cat rescue, fostering kittens who needed a temporary home to grow big enough to be adopted. When she was murdered, she had just bought tickets and was looking forward to traveling the world, a life-long dream.

Case status:
David Swanson (Husband), deceased.

Source:
Police: Kirkland couple dead in murder-suicide were confronting ‘health issues’
Essie Swanson Obituary – Kirkland, Washington

Wilma Paletti

No PhotoName: Wilma Paletti.
Died: March 29, 2017.
Age at death: 75.
Cause of death: Knife wound.
Location: Felegara, Parma, Italy.
Disability: Chronic illness; bedbound.

Details:
Wilma was stabbed to death by her husband in a murder-suicide.

Case status:
Gianfranco Carpana (Husband), deceased.

Source:
Homicide-suicide near Parma
Felegara, uccide la moglie malata con un coltello e si suicida

Kanchana

No PhotoName: Kanchana.
Died: March 7, 2017.
Age at death: 28.
Cause of death: Asphyxia.
Location: Trang, Thailand.
Disability: Chronic encephalitis.

Details:
Kanchana’s mother strangled her before committing suicide.

She left behind two children, aged two and nine when she died. They went to live with relatives.

Case status:
Somjai (Mother), deceased.

Sources:
Mother kills ailing daughter, then hangs herself

Ruth Bain

Photo of Ruth Bain, an older woman with pale skin, wearing a red-striped top and pearl earrings. Her hair is short, curly, and nearly white.Name: Ruth Bain.
Died: March 4, 2017.
Age at death: 82.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Denton, Texas, USA.
Disability: Dementia; stroke.

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

She liked gardening and doing volunteer work.

Case status:
Joe Bain (Husband), deceased.

Source:
Fearing nursing home, elderly Denton man kills wife before killing himself
Jacquielynn Floyd: Call it desperation, but don’t call it love
Denton Tragedy Highlights Lack of Suicide Support for Texas’ Elderly

Fung Shuk-ying

No PhotoName: Fung Shuk-ying.
Died: February 15, 2017.
Age at death: 56.
Cause of death: Asphyxia.
Location: Kowloon, Hong Kong.
Disability: Dementia.

Details:
Fung Shuk-ying’s husband strangled her with a belt in a murder-suicide.

Case status:
Au Kin-ming (Husband), deceased.

Source:
Hong Kong couple found dead in suspected murder-suicide
Hong Kong couple found dead in suspected murder-suicide
Hong Kong couple found dead in suspected murder-suicide
Man suspected of jumping to death after strangling wife
Hong Kong couple found dead in suspected murder-suicide
The struggle for Hong Kong’s old and sick to die with dignity