Death Type – Page 197 – Disability Day of Mourning

Olla Mae Waller

Name: Olla Mae Waller.
Died: August 23, 1987.
Age at death: 54.
Cause of death: Strangled.
Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA.
Disability: Multiple sclerosis.

Details:
Olla was strangled by her husband, who also killed her daughter Lucinda Joan Zupan, age 30, and her grandson Brandon Zupan, age 7, before killing himself. Apparently, he also intended to kill Lucinda’s estranged husband, having tried to lure him to their house; but the man went to work instead and survived. Police believe the killer was stressed by Lucinda’s marital problems, and by being the primary caregiver for Olla Mae, who used a wheelchair.

Case Status:
Henry “Hank” Waller (Husband), deceased.

Sources:
Olla Mae Lemons Waller
Four Dead in Murder-Suicide In Colorado Springs
Killer Triggers by Joe Kenda: New Excerpt
Killings of three or more people pepper Colorado Springs history

Eric Bernstein

No Photo Name: Eric Bernstein.
Died: May 11, 1987.
Age at death: 2.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Broomall, Pennsylvania, USA.
Disability: Hypoxic brain injury at birth, causing cerebral palsy.

Details:
After putting her son through months of intensive, 15-hour-a-day therapy to try to cure him, Eric’s mother, seeing that he wasn’t going to be cured, shot him to death.

Case status:
Irene Torres Bernstein (Mother), pleaded no contest to third-degree murder, sentenced to a $1000 fine and 5 years probation.

Source:
Mom Pleads No Contest In Son’s Killing
Mom Given Probation Didn’t Ask For Mercy In Tot’s Death

Dominic Diehl

A gravestone. It reads: Andrew Joseph Diehl. July 20, 1973 to October 29, 1986. Your life was not lived in vain, my son. Inset: A poor-quality black-and-white newspaper photo of a dark-skinned boy in a white T-shirt. Name: Dominic J. “Andrew” Diehl.
Died: October 29, 1986.
Age at death: 13.
Cause of death: Head injury.
Location: Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA.
Disability: Child abuse survivor; emotionally disturbed.

Details:
Andrew died of head injuries inflicted by his adoptive father; he was tied to the floor of the family bus and severely beaten.

Andrew liked to read Western novels.

Case status:
Michael Diehl (Adoptive father), first-degree murder, 41 years; eligible for parole after 7 years.
Karen Diehl (Adoptive mother), manslaughter, 31 years; released after 6 years.

Source:
Dominick J. (Andrew) Diehl
Parents of 17 Arrested In Fatal Beating of Son
Facing Charges, Father Wanted Life Support Continued : Brain-Dead Boy’s Death Ends Dispute
Dominick Joseph “Andrew” Diehl (1973-1986)

Esta Millwee

Name: Esta Iona Weathers Millwee.
Died: September 8, 1986.
Age at death: 52.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Riverside County, California, USA.
Disability: Stroke, hemiplegia.

Details:
Esta’s son came home drunk and argued with her husband. After her husband left, her son shot Esta.

Case Status:
Donald Millwee (Son), convicted of murder, sentenced to death, died in prison.

Source:
Donald Millwee, Condemned California Inmate Who Killed Disabled Mother, Dies Of Natural Causes
California inmate dies while on death row for killing mother
Esta Iona Weathers Millwee (1933-1986) – Find A Grave

Linda Helton

A gravestone. It reads: Linda Sue Helton, July 29, 1940 to January 6, 1986. At rest. Name: Linda Sue Helton.
Died: January 6, 1986.
Age at death: 45.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Precott, Arkansas, USA.
Disability: Intellectual disability.

Details:
Linda was allegedly shot by her mother, who called it a “mercy killing”.

Case status:
Esther Helton (Mother); charged with murder.

Source:
Woman Charged In Death Of Mentally Retarded Daughter

Anita Spearman

Photo of Anita Spearman's gravestone, which reads, "Anita J. Spearman, December 8, 1936 to November 15, 1985." There are flowers in an attached vase. Name: Anita Spearman.
Died: November 16, 1985.
Age at death: 48.
Cause of death: Blunt force injury.
Location: Palm Beach, Florida, USA.
Disability: Breast cancer.

Details:
Anita’s husband was tired of being married to a woman who had cancer. He was worried she wouldn’t look good in a bathing suit, so he hired a hit man to kill her. The man bludgeoned her to death as she lay recovering from a recent mastectomy.

Case status:
Robert Spearman (Husband), convicted of murder, sentenced to life plus 20 years.
Sean Doutre (Hit man), convicted of first-degree murder, sentenced to life plus 30 years.
Richard Savage (Hit man’s boss), convicted of second-degree murder and conspiracy, sentenced to 40 years.

Source:
Want Ads in Soldier of Fortune Magazine Led a Blundering Gang of Alleged Killers to Their Victims
Savage Found Guilty 3rd Man Convicted In Spearman Death
Spearman Found Guilty
Spearman Suspect Convicted
Murder Charges Detailed Witness: Spearman Said Death A Mercy Act
Motions Heard In Murder-for-hire Trial
‘Gun for Hire’ Had Many Clients : Bumbling Gang of Killers Left Trail of Death, Terror

John Muir

No Photo Name: John Muir.
Died: November 6, 1985.
Age at death: 65.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Aptos, California, USA.
Disability: Partial paralysis from polio.

Details:
John was stabbed to death. His wife, who had married him only three months before, most likely paid two men to kill him. She had been the caregiver for his deceased first wife, and the two had recently separated.

John was a retired IBM executive.

Case status:
Richard Vance Richardson (hired killer), pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, sentenced to 15 years to life.
Clinton Lee Burns, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter.
Charlene Richardson (Stepdaughter), charged with accessory to murder, sentenced to 6 months in jail.
Barbara Muir (Wife), charged with accessory to murder, sentenced to 6 months in jail.

Source:
Man who killed IBM executive in Aptos in 1985 denied parole

Tara Kelly

No Photo Name: Tara Kelly.
Died: September 15, 1985.
Age at death: 9.
Cause of death: Homicidal violence.
Location: Rochester, New York, USA.
Disability: Intellectual disability.

Details:
While her mother’s boyfriend was babysitting Tara, he killed her by hitting, kicking, and suffocating her.

Case status:
Thomas Osburn (Mother’s boyfriend), second-degree murder, 20 years to life.

Source:
Man Sentenced in Death of Retarded Girl

Cory Watts

No Photo Name: Cory Watts.
Died: July 10, 1985.
Age at death: 22.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Alexandria, Virginia, USA.
Disability: Head injury from motorcycle accident.

Details:
After Cory’s mother lost a $10-million lawsuit against the company that made the helmet Cory had been wearing during his motorcycle accident, she went home, shot Cory to death, and killed herself.

Case status:
Cordelia Watts (Mother), deceased.

Source:
Lawsuit Lost, Mother Kills Son

Emily Gilbert

No Photo Name: Emily Gilbert.
Died: March 4, 1985.
Age at death: 73.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA.
Disability: Alzheimer’s disease, osteoporosis.

Details:
Emily’s husband killed her by shooting her in the head.

She loved tailored clothes and traveling, and was the mother of one daughter.

Case status:
Roswell Gilbert (Husband), convicted of murder, sentenced to 25 years; granted clemency and released after 5 years. Received $50,000 for the rights to his story.

Source:
‘They adored each other’: Should court free caregiver who killed wife with dementia?
Shots in 1994 Fort Lauderdale death started mercy killing crusade
Roswell Gilbert, 85, Who Killed His Ill Wife and Went to Prison
Gilbert v. State
The Agony Did Not End for Roswell Gilbert, Who Killed His Wife to Give Her Peace – Vol. 27 No. 2