Joel Parks

Photo of Joel Parks, a young man with short dark hair and pale skin, smiling for the camera, wearing a navy blue jacket.Name: Joel “Bubby” Parks.
Died: September 22, 2019.
Age at death: 30.
Cause of death: Medication overdose.
Location: Bradenton, Florida, USA.
Disability: Autism, developmental delay from injury as an infant.

Details:
Joel took part in an Easter Seals day program. He played baseball on the Miracle League and was called “Home Run Joel” for his love of the sport.

Joel lived in a group home most of the week, but visited his grandmother on the weekends. His family called him “Bubby”. Although his grandmother told police she thought no one would care for him after she died, Joel’s mother and sister both say they were perfectly willing to step in; in fact, his sister was visiting when he died. Had that failed, Joel had state funding set aside to ensure his care continued if his grandmother died.

Joel’s grandmother allegedly killed him with an overdose of medication.

Case status:
Lillian Parks (Grandmother), charged with second-degree murder.

Source:
Florida Woman Charged With Killing Disabled Grandson By Drug Overdose
Autism Memorial: Joel Parks
Bradenton woman wanted disabled grandson with her in heaven. She ‘put him to sleep,’ cops say
Police: Bradenton woman purposely gave grandson drugs to overdose, charged with second-degree murder
Family speaks out after police say Bradenton man with disabilities was murdered by grandmother
Family speaks out after 87-year-old grandma is accused of killing autistic grandson
87-Year-Old Killed Her Disabled Grandson With Overdose, Police Say – The New York Times
Not A Unique Case: 87-Year-Old Murdered Disabled Grandson With Overdose
Miracle League baseball community mourns one of its own
Warrant charges woman with killing disabled grandson. There is a lot police don’t know
Grandmother admits to killing disabled grandson with drug overdose: cops
Florida woman says she killed disabled grandson by overdose, fearing no one would care for him after she died
87-year-old Florida grandma overdoses disabled grandson fearing no one would care for him after she dies
Bradenton grandmother accused of killing disabled grandson, fearing no one would care for him after she died
Family questions grandmother’s supposed motive for overdosing grandson

Charles Sartin

Photo of an older man with light skin, white hair, a receding hairline, large ears, and a friendly expression. He is wearing a blue collared shirt.Name: Charles Douglas Sartin, Sr.
Died: September 9, 2019.
Age at death: 81.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma.
Location: Sabine Pass, Texas, USA.
Disability: Alzheimer’s disease.

Details:
Charles’s daughter beat him to death.

Charles was a Navy veteran and the owner of the restaurant Sartin’s Seafood.

Case Status:
Kelli Sartin (Daughter), convicted of murder, sentenced to 30 to 81 years.

Sources:
Sabine Pass woman convicted of murdering father in 2019, sentenced to 81 years behind bars
Jury convicts Kelli Sartin of murdering father at his Sabine Pass home
Kelli Sartin to jury before hearing sentence: “Put me under a prison”
Charles Sartin Obituary – Death Notice and Service Information
Affidavit: Restaurant founder’s daughter left his dead body in bedroom for 5 days

Skylea Carmack

Photo of a girl with light, freckled skin, brown hair pulled back, smiling for the camera.Name: Skylea Carmack.
Died: September 4, 2019.
Age at death: 10.
Cause of death: Asphyxia.
Location: Gas City, Indiana, USA.
Disability: Developmental disability, possibly autism.

Details:
Skylea’s stepmother strangled her, then reported her missing, saying she had vanished from her home. Police issued a Silver Alert, announcing that Skylea had a history of running away to her mother’s home and might have an autism awareness blanket with her. Skylea’s body was found behind her home several days later.

Skylea was one of six siblings.

Case status:
Amanda Carmack (Stepmother), convicted of murder, neglect of a dependent, strangulation, and domestic battery; sentenced to life without parole.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Skylea Carmack
Jury recommends life without parole for Indiana woman convicted of killing 10-year-old stepdaughter
BREAKING: Missing 10-year-old girl found strangled in shed behind home [Police]
Skylea Carmack: Autopsy confirms girl found dead in shed was strangled as stepmom remains jailed for her
Court docs: Stepmom killed Gas City girl over charm bracelet. Abuse, confinement marked her last hours.

Amzin Shaw

Photo of a middle-aged woman with long curly dark hair and light-brown skin, wearing horn-rimmed glasses and a teal sweater.Name: Amzin “Bibi Jasmin” Shaw.
Died: September 3, 2019.
Age at death: 63.
Cause of death: Smoke inhalation.
Location: Queens, New York, USA.
Disability: Stroke.

Details:
Bibi Jasmin died in a fire allegedly set by her niece’s boyfriend, who was staying rent-free with her and her niece. She had recently had a stroke, and used a cane and sometimes a wheelchair, and was unable to get out of the house. Apparently, she had attempted to evict the couple because they did not help her pay for rent or utilities and, when asked, her niece’s boyfriend threatened to kill her.

Bibi Jasmin was one of 17 siblings and had several grandchildren.

Case status:
Rampersaud Persaud (Boyfriend of niece), charged with murder and arson.

Source:
Murder charge in Queens Village fire
Queens Village Man Charged in Death of Wheelchair-bound Property Owner who Evicted Him
Former Tenant Accused Of Setting Deadly Fire Due In Court On Murder, Arson Charges
Man Charged With Murder As Woman Dies in Queens Fire: NYPD
Man charged with murder in Queens fire that killed woman: police
Ungrateful tenant charged in deadly arson that killed Queens homeowner: ‘Her kindness got her killed’

Janet Lewis

No PhotoName: Janet Lewis.
Died: September 1, 2019.
Age at death: 76.
Cause of death: Stabbing.
Location: Hullbridge, Essex, England, UK.
Disability: None; husband convinced she would have a stroke and need to go to a nursing home.

Details:
Janet’s husband was convinced that he was getting dementia and that Janet was going to have a stroke, and that he would need to put her in a nursing home and pay £800 a day for her care. He stabbed her to death and attempted to hang himself, but survived.

Janet’s husband does not have dementia; he was diagnosed with anxiety and “obsessive worrying”, declared competent to stand trial, and convicted of murder.

Case status:
Robert Lewis (Husband), convicted of murder, sentenced to 16 years.

Source:
Hullbridge murder trial: Robert Lewis jailed for murder of wife Janet
Hullbridge murder trial: Robert Lewis guilty of murdering wife Janet
Janet Lewis death: Husband ‘had abnormal mental functioning’
Hullbridge: Robert Lewis murdered wife Janet after ‘obsession’ with dementia

Polly Bahadoor

Thin elderly woman with dark hair and light-brown skin, dressed in a pink shirt and shorts, smiling for the camera, sitting in a red wheelchair.Name: Polly Kunti “Mama” Bahadoor.
Died: August 25, 2019.
Age at death: 83.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma.
Location: Charlieville, Trinidad, Trinidad and Tobago.
Disability: Arthritis; wheelchair user.

Details:
Polly was bludgeoned to death.

She was a quiet, helpful woman who made and sold food to the neighbors. Energetic and “always moving”, she liked to have her nails painted and “pretty up”.

Case status:
Devanand Bahadur (Grandson), charged with murder.

Source:
Teen charged with killing his enfeebled grandma
Wheelchair granny, 85, beaten to death
83-year-old woman murdered in Charlieville
Trinidad: ‘Quiet’ granny’s murder stuns family
Relatives in shock

Vanessa Mayfield

Selfie of a young woman with dark skin and very curly short black hair, big hoop earrings, and a T-shirt that looks like a sports jersey and spells out "SEXY".Name: Vanessa Faye Mayfield.
Died: August 17, 2019.
Age at death: 31.
Cause of death: Head trauma.
Location: Fort Worth, Texas, USA.
Disability: Unspecified, likely developmental disability or mental illness.

Details:
Vanessa was experiencing homelessness and was known among the homeless community in Fort Worth for her honesty, stubbornness, wild hair, and hearty laugh. She was the mother of a new baby.

Her fiance had a job at a restaurant and she hoped he’d be able to provide for her. Instead, he allegedly assaulted and killed her.

Case status:
Jared Seavey (Fiance), convicted of murder, sentenced to 30-99 years.

Source:
Man who murdered fiancee outside Fort Worth church sentenced to 99 years
Suspect in homeless woman’s murder was fiance who claimed to be ‘out of town,’ friend says
Woman found dead on stairwell outside a Fort Worth church; 21-year-old man arrested

Victor Villa

No Photo
Name: Victor Villa.
Died: August 10, 2019.
Age at death: 75.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Oceanside, California, USA.
Disability: Hemiparesis after stroke.

Details:
Victor was scalded with hot liquid, then stabbed to death. His wife, who had told friends that she no longer wanted to care for him, was charged with his murder.

Case status:
Alcira Villa (Wife), charged with murder.

Source:
Oceanside woman, 78, accused of murder in disabled husband’s death

Sbusiso Mhlanga

No PhotoName: Sbusiso Quin Mhlanga.
Died: July 28, 2019 (Body found); missing November 20, 2014.
Age at death: Adult.
Cause of death: Homicide.
Location: Vryheid, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Disability: Unspecified, wheelchair user.

Details:
Sbusiso lived with his younger brother, who allegedly murdered him for “not using the correct dish to relieve himself”. Police say he buried his brother’s body, dumped his wheelchair in the river, and collected his brother’s disability pension for the next few years.

Case status:
His brother, charged with murder, theft, and obstruction of justice.

Source:
Brother arrested for killing his sibling

Brenda Venables

Old-fashioned photo of a woman with brown curly hair and fair skin, wearing a blue jacket, smiling for the camera. There are pink flowers in the foreground.Name: Brenda Venables.
Died: July 12, 2019 (Body found; died May 3 or 4, 1982).
Age at death: 48.
Cause of death: Unspecified homicide.
Location: Kempsey, England, UK.
Disability: Depression.

Details:
Brenda’s body was found hidden in a septic tank, where her husband had hidden it decades earlier. Her husband was convicted of her murder.

Relatives remember her as kind, hospitable, and friendly.

Case Status:
David Venables (Husband), convicted of murder, sentenced to life with a minimum of 18 years.

Sources:
Farmer convicted of wife’s murder 40 years after hiding her body in septic tank
Retired pig farmer David Venables jailed for murdering his wife in 1982 and hiding body in septic tank