Category: Type: Homicide-Suicide

Homicide followed by completed suicide.

Mary Palley

Photo of Mary Palley. She is an older woman with graying blonde hair and fair skin. She is wearing glasses and a pearl necklace.Name: Mary Flynn Palley.
Died: March 11, 2016.
Age at death: 73.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Logan, Utah, USA.
Disability: Parkinson’s disease.

Details:
Mary Palley was a retired lawyer. She was an advocate for abuse victims, served as a historian for Citizens Against Physical and Sexual Abuse, and did pro bono work for abuse victims, helping them get protective orders.

When she became disabled because of Parkinson’s disease, her husband killed her and then committed suicide.

Case status:
Dell Andrew Johnson (Husband), deceased.

Source:
Logan woman killed in apparent murder-suicide remembered as advocate for victims of abuse
Mary Palley Obituary
Couple identified after letter to newspaper leads Logan police to apparent murder-suicide
‘Something about Mary:’ Logan woman remembered for her passion, selflessness
Police continuing to look for answers in apparent murder-suicide
Logan woman killed in apparent murder-suicide remembered as advocate for victims of abuse

Cynthia Busch

Gravestone of Cynthia Busch and her mother.Name: Cynthia Busch.
Died: March 10, 2016.
Age at death: 24.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Fairfield Township, Ohio, USA.
Disability: Developmental disability.

Details:
Cynthia was shot by her mother in a murder-suicide.

Case status:
Barbara Busch (Mother), deceased.

Source:
Fairfield Twp. Police identify mother, daughter found dead in murder-suicide
Mother fatally shoots disabled daughter, self in Fairfield Twp.
Police: Mother Killed Daughter, then Killed Herself
Police: Overwhelmed mother killed developmentally disabled daughter
Cynthia Busch Obituary
autism wars: On The Murder of Cynthia Busch
No Mystery Here: Call a Murderer a Murderer
Cynthia Busch: The Disability Holocaust Continues

Dawn Green

Photo of Dawn Green, an elderly white woman wearing glasses and a yellow shirt with a name tag pinned to it.Name: Dawn Green.
Died: March 2, 2016.
Age at death: 69.
Cause of death: Unspecified homicide.
Location: Newquay, England, UK.
Disability: Unspecified heart condition.

Details:
Dawn was killed by her husband in a murder-suicide.

She played bingo and volunteered at the Newquay Disabled Club.

Case status:
Malcolm Green (Husband), deceased.

Source:
First picture of ‘devoted’ couple found dead at home in suspected murder suicide
Devoted couple found dead at home

Jessica Cunningham

School photo of Jessica Cunningham, a teenage girl with long blonde hair and fair skin, wearing a peach T-shirt.Name: Jessica Kay Cunningham.
Died: February 29, 2016.
Age at death: 15.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Harvey Township, Minnesota, USA.
Disability: Depression, self-injury.

Details:
Jessica was shot by her older brother in a murder-suicide. He also shot her pet German Shepherd.

Her sister wants her remembered as “a beautiful, blonde-haired girl who loved dogs, drawing, movies, makeup, movie stars and so much more.”

Case status:
David Cunningham (Brother), deceased.

Source:
Murder-suicide: Grieving sister speaks out
Teens fatally shot in Meeker County
After murder-suicide, Minn. man faces child neglect, obstruction
Sheriff: 2 Teens Killed In Meeker County Ruled Murder-Suicide
Murder-suicide begs the question: Why?
2 teens found dead in rural Minnesota home were murder-suicide
Murder-suicide begs the question: Why?

Daniel Joost

Photo of Daniel Joost, a teenage boy with fair skin and short light-brown, wavy hair. He is wearing dark-rimmed glasses and a dress shirt. Photographed outdoors, he squints into the sun.Name: Daniel Joost.
Died: February 8, 2016.
Age at death: 18.
Cause of death: Asphyxia.
Location: Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Daniel and his mother, 55-year-old Margaret O’Leary-Joost, were strangled to death by Daniel’s father, who then took his own life.

Case status:
David Joost (Father), deceased.

Source:
Parents and Teen-Aged Son Dead in Oak Forest Double Murder-Suicide
‘Oh God, We Better Call’: 911 Call in Oak Forest Double Murder-Suicide
Support for Katie Joost
Autism Memorial: Daniel Joost

Bertha Coombes

Black and white photo of a young woman with curly hair, in old-fashioned clothing.Name: Bertha Coombes.
Died: January 19, 2016.
Age at death: 83.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Petaluma, California, USA.
Disability: Mobility impairment; wheelchair user, after “a series of falls”.

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

Case status:
Harold Coombes (Husband), deceased.

Source:
Police determine east Petaluma deaths murder-suicide
Petaluma couple’s violent deaths a contrast with long, loving relationship

Holly Lozon

Photo of Holly Lozon, a woman with short curly blond hair. Her mouth is slightly open as though she is about to speak.Name: Holly A. Lozon.
Died: January 13, 2016.
Age at death: 57.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Rainville Township, Michigan, USA.
Disability: Paraplegic, from surgery to remove bone spurs.

Details:
Holly was shot dead by her husband in a murder-suicide. He also killed their dog.

Holly was an animal-lover who especially enjoyed horseback riding.

Case status:
Gerald Lozon (Husband), deceased.

Source:
Tragedy beset Monroe Co. couple found dead in home
Obituary: Holly A. Lozon

Kazuko Saito

No PhotoName: Kazuko Saito.
Died: December 13, 2015.
Age at death: 43.
Cause of death: Sharp-force trauma.
Location: Tokyo, Japan.
Disability: Developmental disability.

Details:
Kazuko’s sister killed her with a knife, then committed suicide.

Case status:
Fumiko Saito (Sister), deceased.

Source:
Murder-suicide suspected after discovery of sisters’ corpses
2 sisters dead in apparent murder-suicide

Tyler Bryan

Photo of Tyler Bryan, a toddler boy with fine brown hair and fair skin.Name: Tyler W. Bryan.
Died: December 11, 2015.
Age at death: 3.
Cause of death: Asphyxia.
Location: Rolesville, North Carolina, USA.
Disability: Either Tyler or his twin brother had “special needs”.

Details:
Tyler’s mother strangled him before setting her bedroom on fire and killing herself. Tyler’s twin brother, left alive in another room, survived the fire.

Case status:
Kristy Bryan (Mother), deceased.

Source:
Rolesville police: Fire was murder-suicide
Tyler William “TyBry” Bryan

Carmina Brown

Black and white photo of Carmina Brown, a young woman with straight, dark hair and pale skin. She is squinting into the sun.Name: Carmina Brown.
Died: December 11, 2015.
Age at death: 27.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Kennewick, Washington, USA.
Disability: Developmental disability.

Details:
Carmina was shot by her father in a homicide-suicide. He also killed her mother, Elena.

Carmina worked at Goodwill and was on a Special Olympics swim team. She enjoyed cycling and went to camp every summer.

Case status:
Doug Brown (Father), deceased.

Source:
Neighbors, friends reeling after apparent murder-suicide in Kennewick
Carmina, Elena, Douglas Brown Obituary
Non profit honors murder victim
New project honors disabled Tri-Cities woman killed by her father