Type: Homicide-Suicide – Page 20 – Disability Day of Mourning

Joan, Francis, and Mary Stack

No Photo
Name: Joan Stack.
Age at death: 82.
Disability: Terminal cancer, arthritis.

Name: Mary Stack.
Age at death: 57.
Disability: Autism.

Name: Francis “Frankie” Stack Jr.
Age at death: 48.
Disability: Autism; sciatica.

Died: August 30, 2014.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Chicago, Illinois, USA.

Details:
Joan Stack and her children, Mary and Francis Jr., were shot by her husband, their father, in a murder-suicide.

Joan Stack was a deeply religious Catholic homemaker known for keeping the house tidy and making dinner every night.

Frankie and Mary lived in group homes. Frankie was non-verbal, but Mary could say a few words.

Mary was a fan of action movies, and liked to look at magazines, especially magazines with photos of babies in them.

Case status:
Francis Stack Sr (Father, husband), deceased.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Mary Stack and Francis Stack Jr.
Four Dead In Elmhurst Murder-Suicide
Disabled children killed in Elmhurst murder-suicide
Elmhurst couple in murder-suicide were doting parents: neighbors
Four Bodies in Elmhurst

Black and white newspaper photo of a smiling girl with a round face and short, light hair. She is wearing glasses. Name: Katharine Renai Mihok.
Died: July 23, 2014.
Age at death: 8.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Norfolk, Virginia, USA.
Disability: A rare chromosomal disorder affecting movement and intellectual development.

Details:
Katharine’s mother shot her to death, then killed herself.

From Katharine’s obituary: “Katharine was an energetic and happy child. She loved throwing kisses in the air, posing for pictures, being outdoors discovering, dancing to music, being in the pool, going to school, Girl Scouts and earning badges, and visiting with people. Most of all, she loved her family and her big sister.”

Case status:
Karla M. Mihok (Mother), deceased.

Source:
UPDATE: Norfolk mother kills 8-year-old daughter before taking her own life; woman now identified
Obituary: Karla Mae and Katharine Renai Mihok
Region sees 2 murder-suicides by women – rare tragedy

Barbara Poucher

No Photo Name: Barbara Poucher.
Died: May 23, 2014.
Age at death: 86.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Ormond Beach, Florida, USA.
Disability: Alzheimer’s disease.

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

Case status:
John Poucher (Husband), deceased.

Source:
Caregivers who kill their spouses share traits, experts say
2 dead in apparent murder-suicide in Ormond Beach
Police: Ormond man, 89, shoots, kills wife with Alzheimer’s, then himself
Double-Killing in Ormond Beach: Not Murder-Suicide, But Mercy and Heroism

Mary Myatt

No Photo Name: Mary Myatt.
Died: April 27, 2014.
Age at death: 59.
Cause of death: Massive trauma.
Location: Oneida, New York, USA.
Disability: Cognitive impairment after brain aneurysm.

Details:
Mary’s husband drove her to the train tracks and waited until the train hit them, killing them both.

Mary had worked as a teacher’s aide, medical office receptionist, and manager of a college bookstore. She had two sons and four grandchildren.

Case status:
Earl Myatt Jr. (Husband), deceased.

Source:
Grandparents Killed By Train Ruled Murder-Suicide
NY husband steps in front of train with ill wife, leaves behind a mystery
The love that led a couple to stand in front of a train

Caitlin Wentzel

Photo of a young girl sitting in a wheelchair; she has curly blond hair, fair skin, and glasses, and she is wearing a brown T-shirt. Name: Caitlin Wentzel.
Died: April 21, 2014.
Age at death: 12.
Cause of death: Smothered.
Location: Mesa, Arizona, USA.
Disability: Osteogenesis imperfecta.

Details:
Caitlin’s mother poisoned her, then smothered her to death, before killing herself.

Caitlin enjoyed learning about cultures, reading, art and swimming. She was a proficient reader who read above her grade level.

Case status:
Marcia Wentzel (Mother), deceased.

Source:
Mother ‘overdosed and smothered’ her wheelchair-bound daughter, 12, who was suffering from a rare genetic disorder before ending her own life in murder-suicide
Marcia & Caitlin Wentzel Obituary – Mesa, AZ

Robert Robinson

Photo of a young man with light skin and curly brown hair, a thin beard and mustache, and brown eyes. He is wearing a black jacket over a white T-shirt. Trees can be seen in the background. Name: Robert Robinson.
Died: April 3, 2014.
Age at death: 16.
Cause of death: Tranquilizer poisoning.
Location: Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Canada.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Robert was poisoned by his mother, who also took her own life.

Robbie and his mother liked to hike a trail by the ocean.

Case status:
Angie Robinson (Mother), deceased.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Robert Robinson
Prince Rupert RCMP confirm murder-suicide in Ebert Street deaths
Social services for families with autistic children called into question following murder-suicide involving mother and son
Murder-suicide of B.C. autistic teen by his mother reignites debate over caregiver support
Prince Rupert mom left murder-suicide note saying she could no longer care for severely autistic son

Vincent Phan

No Photo Name: 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

Damien Veraghen

Name: Damien Veraghen.
Died: January 20, 2014.
Age at death: 9.
Cause of death: Asphyxia.
Location: Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA.
Disability: Autism, epilepsy.

Details:
Damien was drugged and suffocated by his mother in a murder-suicide.

Damien liked playing catch, and loved sports in general. He played in the Miracle League of Green Bay. Every week, Damien played a game with friends in the league. He loved the baseball bats.

He also liked to run the vacuum cleaner at home; neighbors would hear the vacuum cleaner and know it was Damien.

Case status:
April Veraghen (Mother), deceased.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Damien Veraghen
April and Damien Veraghen, Obituary
Mother-son deaths at west-side apartment ruled murder, suicide
Friends remember victims of murder-suicide
Mother-son murder-suicide investigation closed

Mickey Liposchok

No Photo Name: Mickey Liposchok.
Died: December 17, 2013.
Age at death: 52.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Port Vue, Pennsylvania, USA.
Disability: Intellectual disability.

Details:
Mickey’s father shot him and then killed himself.

Case status:
Richard Liposchok (Father), deceased.

Source:
Father, disabled son found dead; friends call killing an ‘act of love’

Randle Barrow

Photo of a boy with dark skin and curly dark hair, sitting on a therapy ball. He is wearing a blue collared shirt and white pants. Name: Randle Barrow.
Died: December 14, 2013.
Age at death: 8.
Cause of death: Drowning.
Location: Huntsville, Alabama, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Randle’s mother took him to the Tennessee River, drowned him, and then went home and killed herself. She was said to be “overwhelmed by all the events in her life”.

His behavioral therapist describes Randle Barrow like this: “Randle made every kid in his classroom smile constantly. He was hilarious; the happiest kid. He would do anything for anybody. If he saw a child upset, he cried for that child. He understood.”

Case status:
Delicia Barrow (Mother), deceased.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Randle Barrow
Deaths of mom, autistic child believed to be murder-suicide
Police: Randle Barrow’s Mother Drowned Him in Tennessee River, Then Killed Herself
Friends Of Randle Barrow Say His Mother Was Devoted, Caring
Police say autistic child was murdered by his mother

Category: Type: Homicide-Suicide