Type: Multiple Homicide – Page 5 – Disability Day of Mourning

Esteban, Penelope, Avielle, and Apollo Harless

No Photo Name: Esteban Lorenzo Harless.
Age at death: 4.

Name: Penelope Arcadia Harless.
Age at death: 3.

Name: Avielle Magdalena Harless.
Age at death: 1.

Name: Apollo Harless.
Age at death: 11 months.

Died: June 4, 2020.
Cause of death: Carbon monoxide poisoning.
Location: San Antonio, Texas, USA.
Disability: Special needs.

Details:
Esteban, Penelope, Avielle, and Apollo’s parents gassed them with carbon monoxide before committing suicide. They also killed the family’s two cats.

Case status:
Jared Esquibel Harless (Father), deceased.
Sheryll Ann Harless (Mother), deceased.

Source:
San Antonio Murder-Suicide: Army Officer’s Wife Helped Husband Kill Children with Special Needs
Police: Wife helped husband kill kids before double suicide
Army identifies Fort Sam Houston soldier found dead in apparent murder-suicide

James and Janet Samuels and Lachesta Childs

Photo of an older African American man wearing a gray tuxedo and glasses. He is smiling for the camera. His hair is a short fringe on the sides of his head. — James Samuels

Name: James Samuels.
Age at death: 69.
Disability: Leg amputee.

Name: Janet Samuels.
Age at death: 67.
Disability: Unspecified disability.

Name: Lachesta “Shasta” Childs.
Age at death: 47.
Disability: Autism.

Janet Samuels

Died: March 31, 2020.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Macon, Georgia, USA.

Details:
After Janet’s sister’s boyfriend assaulted her sister and Janet tried to intervene, James, Janet, and Shasta were shot by the boyfriend of Janet’s sister, who then proceeded to kidnap his two-year-old son. Janet’s sister escaped to safety; the toddler was rescued unhurt after a police standoff ended in the killer’s arrest.

Janet leaves behind a twin sister; her sister remembers that the two were inseparable until Janet’s death.

Case Status:
Caesar Crockett (Sister’s boyfriend), convicted of three counts of murder and kidnapping, sentenced to life without parole.

Sources:
‘You need to die in the penitentiary’: Macon man convicted of triple murder and kidnapping
Autism Memorial: Lachesta Childs

Gerald Walton

Name: Gerald Walton.
Died: February 27, 2020.
Age at death: 21.
Cause of death: Arson.
Location: Forsyth, Georgia, USA.
Disability: Special needs, unspecified.

Other Victim: Tasha Vandiver, 46, non-disabled; Gerald’s mother.

Details:
Gerald and his mother died in a house fire set by his sister.

He was a Special Olympics athlete. A teacher remembers that Gerald was a cheerful young man who “loved everyone he met”.

Case status:
Candace Walton (Sister), pleaded guilty to murder, arson, and theft, sentenced to life with the possibility of parole after 30 years.
Kaleo Pangelian (Sister’s boyfriend), convicted of arson, sentenced to 20 years.

Source:
Pangelinan gets 20 years for role in double murder; see murderous Instagram messages below
Monroe County teen pleads guilty to killing mother, brother in 2020 arson
Monroe County teen pleads guilty to killing her mother, brother with special needs in 2020 arson
Nearly 1 year since Monroe County arson that took lives of a mother, son
Georgia teen Candace Walton extradited from Kentucky on murder charge
Boyfriend of girl charged with killing her mom and brother is arrested
Boy, 17, set to be charged with murder for ‘helping girlfriend, 16, he met online kill her mom, 46, and special needs brother in a house fire before trying to start a new life with him’
Monroe County teen charged with killing mom, brother extradited to Georgia
16-year-old charged with murder, arson in Monroe County fatal fire
Georgia teen charged with arson, two counts of murder after fatal fire

Henko Naudé

Name: Henko Naudé.
Died: January 16, 2020.
Age at death: 17.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Secunda, South Africa.
Disability: Muscular dystrophy.

Other victims: Lizelle Naudé, 52; Tina Naudé, 83.

Details:
When 17-year-old Henko researched the symptoms of his disability, his father got angry. He shot Henko, his mother, and his grandmother in their beds and then killed himself.

Henko was a gifted high school student and an excellent chess player.

Case status:
André Naudé (Father), deceased.

Source:
Secunda family murder: Dad couldn’t cope with son’s illness

Megan Todt

Name: Megan Todt.
Died: January 13, 2020.
Age at death: 42.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Celebration, Florida, USA.
Disability: Lyme disease, depression.

Details:
Megan was found dead in her home, along with the bodies of her three children, Alek, 13; Tyler, 11; Zoe, 4; and her dog Breezy. Her husband was arrested and charged with murder. During trial, his defense was that Megan had committed the murders and then killed herself because she was tired of having chronic illness.

Case Status:
Anthony Todt (Husband), convicted of four counts of first-degree murder and one count of animal cruelty; sentenced to life without parole.

Sources:
Florida father Anthony Todt convicted of killing his wife and 3 kids
Florida Dad Convicted of Apocalypse-Fueled Murder Spree
Celebration man accused of killing family found guilty, sentenced to life in prison without parole
Father accused of killing his kids blames wife for their deaths
‘I came home and my kids were dead’: Celebration man accused of killing family testifies
Anthony Todt Claimed He and Wife Had Murder-Suicide Pact: Prosecutor
Trial begins for Florida man accused of killing wife, 3 children
Jury sees Anthony Todt’s confession in family’s killings: ‘I needed to save her soul’ – Orlando Sentinel
Anthony Todt trial: Celebration man accused of killing wife, 3 kids testifies
Dad Accused of Murdering Family, Dog in Florida Home Thought Apocalypse Was Coming: Prosecutors

Shirley Brewer

Name: Shirley Brewer.
Died: December 25, 2019.
Age at death: 48.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Cullom, Illinois, USA.
Disability: Depression.

Details:
Shirley’s husband shot and killed her, her son Christian, 27, and her neighbor, Norman Walker, age 51. In an attempt to cover up the murder, he pointed out Shirley’s history of depression and suicidal crisis, and claimed that she had killed everyone else before committing suicide. But when he called emergency services, responders found him washing bloody clothing, and the jury did not believe his assertion that he had slept through the gunshots, especially since he had gunpowder residue on his hands. Shirley’s husband was convicted of multiple murders.

Case Status:
Clifford Brewer (Husband), convicted of murder, sentenced to three life terms plus twenty years.

Sources:
Opening statements wrap up in triple murder case
Brewer sentenced to life in prison for 2019 triple murder in Livingston County

Shinobu, Yoshio, and Takio Kishimoto

No Photo Name: Shinobu Kishimoto.
Age at death: 95.
Disability: Unspecified disability requiring level-1 nursing care.

Name: Yoshio Kishimoto.
Age at death: 93.
Disability: Disabled elder.

Name: Takio Kishimoto.
Age at death: 70.
Disability: Stroke; used a cane.

Died: November 17, 2019.
Cause of death: Asphyxia.
Location: Tsuruga, Fukui, Japan.

Details:
Shinobi and Yoshio lived with their son, Takio, and his wife. Takio’s wife killed them all by strangling them.

Takio was the CEO of a construction company, which he had inherited from Yoshio.

Case status:
Masako Kishimoto (Daughter-in-law of Shinobu and Yoshio; wife of Takio), convicted of murder, sentenced to 18 years.

Source:
72-year-old woman gets 18 years in prison for killing 3 family members
71-year-old woman arrested on suspicion of killing parents-in-law
Woman arrested on suspicion of murder after 3 bodies found in central Japan home

Sydney Montja

No Photo Name: Sydney Noko Montja.
Died: October 21, 2019.
Age at death: Adult.
Cause of death: Drowning.
Location: Limpopo, South Africa.
Disability: Mobility impaired, speech impediment.

Details:
Sydney’s ex-wife took out a life insurance policy on him. Soon thereafter, he was found drowned in a lake, and she cashed in the insurance policy. Over the next few years, five other people whom she bought insurance for died as well. She allegedly used her status as a police officer to convince the victims, who tended to be poor or disabled, to buy the policies.

The other victims’ names are Navel Kutumela, Tsela Malesa, Ephraim Choshi and Martin Manthata.

Case Status:
Rachel Shokane-Kutumela (Ex-wife), charged with six murders and insurance fraud, among other charges.
Annah Shokane (Sister-in-law), charged as an accomplice.
Madjadji Flora Shokane (Daughter), charged as an accomplice.

Sources:
Limpopo cop arrested for murder of six people for R10m insurance payouts
“Rogue” policewoman accused of murdering 6 people for insurance payouts in South Africa
‘She’s dangerous’: victim’s family on insurance fraud murder accused cop
Limpopo insurance murders: Victim’s family speaks out
Alleged insurance killer defends policy: ‘My uncle was my unemployed mother’s responsibility’
Second day on stand for murder-accused Limpopo cop
“I wanted to give my family dignified burials,” so says Limp
Female Limpopo sergeant linked to 6 insurance fraud murders
Police Sgt. Shokane-Kutumela says she will deny charges leveled against her
Limpopo cop, two others accused of insurance murders abandon bail bid
Alleged insurance killer cop facing 19 charges including murder and fraud

Conner Snyder

Name: Conner Seth Snyder.
Died: September 26, 2019.
Age at death: 8.
Cause of death: Hanging.
Location: Albany, Pennsylvania, USA.
Disability: Speech delay, learning disabilities, poor dexterity.

Other Victim: Brinley Louise Snyder, age 4, Conner’s sister (non-disabled).

Child's watercolor painting of brightly colored flowers in a blue vase. — Artwork by Conner Snyder.

Details:
Conner liked video games and building forts.

Conner’s mother hanged him and his sister Brinley from a dog lead in their basement. She told police it was a suicide, claiming that Conner had been bullied at school because of his disability, and had killed himself and his little sister; but police established that Conner didn’t have the dexterity necessary to use the dog lead to hang himself, and his mother had been researching hanging online.

Case status:
Lisa Rachelle Snyder (Mother), found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder, endangering the welfare of a child and evidence tampering; sentenced to life without parole.

Source:
How to (Not) Get Away with Murder
Defense paints Lisa Snyder as former victim of abuse, mental illness, as murder trial gets underway
Judge rejects plea for Pennsylvania woman charged with killing 2 children found hanging in basement
Lisa Snyder, accused of hanging her 2 children in Berks County, may have a plea deal
Judge signals he won’t allow dog sex charges in trial of Berks mom Lisa Snyder, accused of hanging her children
Pennsylvania mom murdered children found hanging, authorities say
Mom charged with murder in hanging deaths of 2 children in Berks County
Mother charged in ‘horrific’ deaths of children found hanging from dog lead in Pennsylvania basement
Pennsylvania mom Lisa Rachelle Snyder charged with murdering her children Conner and Brinley

“DH”, Newborn Baby Girl

No Photo Name: Unknown; initials “DH”.
Died: September 9, 2019.
Age at death: Newborn.
Cause of death: Fall injury.
Location: Namangan, Uzbekistan.
Disability: Bow legs.

Other Victim: “MT”, newborn baby girl, non-disabled.

Details:
“DH” was a newborn still in the hospital nursery when her mother was told she had a disability. Police say her mother reacted to the news by throwing her out of the hospital window; then, she grabbed a baby that wasn’t hers and threw her out of the window too. According to the police, it was to cover up the crime. Both newborns died from their injuries.

Case status:
D. Kh (Mother), arrested.

Source:
Mum throws daughter and another baby from window after learning girl is disabled
Woman Throws Newborn Daughter, Another Baby From Hospital Window Over Girl’s ‘Disability,’ Both Dead
Mum, 23, throws her newborn girl and another baby out of hospital window
Namanganda bolasi nuqson bilan tug‘ilgan ona o‘zining va boshqa ayolning farzandini o‘ldirdi