Relationship: Other household member – Disability Day of Mourning

Edward Kessler

No Photo Name: Edward Kessler.
Died: February 7, 2022.
Age at death: 64.
Cause of death: Strangled.
Location: Elizaville, New York, USA.
Disability: Unspecified; vulnerable elder.

Details:
Ed had been living with a couple for more than twenty years when he was found dead. Police suspect the couple of abusing him, stealing from him, and ultimately causing his death by strangulation.

Case Status:
Cassandra Fischer (Housemate), charged with murder, endangering a vulnerable elderly person, and grand larceny.
Ryan Woods (Housemate), charged with murder and endangering a vulnerable elderly person.

Sources:
Elizaville couple charged in death of elderly housemate
2 Elizaville residents plead not guilty to murder charges
Edward Kessler’s mysterious death in Columbia County is a homicide, official says
State police continue investigating February Columbia County death

Shannon Ziel

Name: Shannon Ziel.
Died: June 18, 2021.
Age at death: 50.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Greeley, Colorado, USA.
Disability: Bipolar disorder.

Details:
Shannon was found dead on his apartment floor, with several stab wounds. His roommate was arrested.

Shannon loved animals and music.

Case Status:
Anthony Martinez (Roommate), charged with first-degree murder.

Sources:
Shannon Ziel Obituary
Greeley man to go to trial for first-degree murder of his roommate
Greeley man confesses to murdering roommate
Greeley man formally charged with first-degree murder for killing his roommate – Greeley Tribune
Anthony Martinez Arrested For First-Degree Murder In Death Of Roommate Shannon Ziel

Frederick Johnson

No Photo Name: Frederick Johnson.
Died: June 25, 2020.
Age at death: 43.
Cause of death: Head injury.
Location: Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Disability: Schizoaffective disorder, epilepsy.

Details:
Frederick lived with a couple who were supposed to care for him in exchange for his disability payments. His caregivers allegedly abused him, beating him and forcing him to do exercises for hours. Police suspect them of beating him to death, then paying a friend to help hide the body.

Case status:
Santino Carter (Caregiver), charged with first-degree murder.
Dominique Beck (Caregiver), charged with first-degree murder and neglect as a caregiver.
Brian Gray, charged with first-degree murder.

Source:
3 Charged With Torturing, Beating Schizophrenic Man to Death
Englewood couple tortured to death a disabled man who paid them to help him, prosecutors say
Caretakers Among 3 Charged In Mentally Ill Man’s Murder

David Allsopp

No Photo Name: David Allsopp.
Died: February 15, 2020.
Age at death: 67.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma.
Location: Derby, England, UK.
Disability: Dementia.

Details:
David was exploited by a woman who moved in with him as his caregiver. She beat him on a regular basis and told his friends and family that the bruises were from falls. The beatings eventually killed him.

David leaves behind a twin sister.

Case status:
Magdalena Kissova (Caregiver, roommate), pleaded guilty to murder, sentenced to 24 years.

Source:
Face of killer carer who savagely beat Derby man to death
‘Carer’ exploited and murdered vulnerable Derby man
Evil woman battered dementia OAP she was paid to care for to death

Dustin Baggett

Name: Dustin Baggett.
Died: January 18, 2020.
Age at death: 15.
Cause of death: Smoke inhalation and burns.
Location: Florissant, Missouri, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Dustin was pulled out of his burning house by firefighters, but died a day later in the hospital. The fire was investigated and shown to be arson, and police suspected a man who lived in his house.

Dustin’s neighbors had long been worried about how he and the other children in his house were being treated. They called authorities repeatedly. Dustin, though nonverbal, was a friendly boy and constantly smiling. A neighbor remembers, “We all kind of took him in, knowing he needed our love.”

Case status:
Bobby Copass (Household member), charged with second-degree murder and first-degree arson.

Source:
Man suspected of setting fatal fire in Florissant now charged with murder
15-year-old Missouri boy who lived with autism died after arson fire; upgraded charges expected
Police: Boy, 15, with autism killed in arson fire

Darlene Conger

No Photo Name: Darlene Conger.
Died: June 20, 2019.
Age at death: 67.
Cause of death: Neglect.
Location: Zanesville, Ohio, USA.
Disability: Wheelchair user.

Details:
Darlene lived with her caregivers in a home that was in very poor condition. She died from neglect when her live-in caregivers did not care for her.

Case status:
Sheila Allberry (Live-in caregiver), pleaded guilty to felonious assault, sentenced to 6-9 years.
Dustin Burr (Son), convicted of felonious assault and failure to provide care, sentenced to 6-9 years.

Source:
Mom of three asks judge for mercy in neglect case originally charged as manslaughter
Man ‘just trying to honor mom’s wishes’ sentenced in case of severe neglect
Guilty plea entered in case of woman who died after severe neglect in deplorable home
Guilty plea entered in case of woman who died after severe neglect in deplorable home
Two face felony charges in disabled woman’s death
Two charged in death of elderly Zanesville woman living in ‘deplorable conditions’ – Y-City News
Obituary for Darlene (Henry) Conger | Bolin-Dierkes Funeral Home

Steven May

Blurry photo of a young man with tanned skin and dark brown hair. Name: Steven May.
Died: May 20, 2019.
Age at death: 50.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma, broken ribs.
Location: Deepdale, Preston, England, UK.
Disability: Epilepsy, COPD, alcoholism.

Details:
Steven lived with a lodger, whom he told his family was there for company and prepared some meals for him. The lodger abused him, and eventually beat him to death.

Case status:
Darren Taylor (Lodger), convicted of murder, sentenced to 20 years to life.

Source:
Lodger jailed for life for murder of his vulnerable friend Steven May in Deepdale
Preston man Darren Taylor found guilty of murdering vulnerable Steven May
MURDER INVESTIGATION: Neighbours are ‘shocked and saddened’ over death of 50-year-old man
Preston dad Steven May had suffered 76 rib fractures in the weeks before he died, murder trial told

Tika Young

Name: Tika Young.
Died: March 30, 2019.
Age at death: 37.
Cause of death: Bludgoned.
Location: Blue Ridge, Arizona, USA.
Disability: Chronic back pain, arthritis.

Details:
Tika’s housemate bludgeoned her to death with a side table and then tried to hide her body. He claimed that she had asked him to hit her and he knew she meant that he wanted her to kill her because of her chronic pain, but her family said that Tika didn’t want to die and her pain wasn’t severe so that story didn’t make sense. Her killer impersonated her on Facebook for weeks after the murder, but her family noticed something was wrong and asked for a welfare check.

Case status:
Patrick Nagel (Housemate), pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, sentenced to 25 years.

Source:
Tika Young’s family searches for memories as Blue Ridge man sentenced for murder
Blue Ridge man pleads not guilty to first-degree murder
Arizona murder suspect impersonated victim for weeks, brother says

Donald Collins

No Photo Name: Donald Collins.
Died: February 16, 2019.
Age at death: Adult.
Cause of death: Sepsis.
Location: Harford Township, Michigan, USA.
Disability: Unspecified; vulnerable adult.

Details:
Donald was removed from his caregiver’s home in poor shape. He died only days later in an assisted-living facility from an infection.

Case status:
Frances Collins (Housemate, unrelated), charged with felony murder and vulnerable adult abuse.

Source:
Caretaker charged with murder for allegedly causing man’s sepsis death
Woman Charged With Murder In Van Buren County
Harford Township caretaker charged with murder after man dies from sepsis

Evelyn Scott

Photo: Middle-aged woman in a striped shirt, with olive-toned skin and curly, shoulder-length hair Name: Evelyn H. Scott.
Died: February 7, 2019.
Age at death: 77.
Cause of death: Sharp-force injury.
Location: Murray, Kentucky, USA.
Disability: Alzheimer’s disease.

Details:
Evelyn lived with her niece and her niece’s boyfriend. Her neighbors rarely saw her, but her niece, 37-year-old Tera Todd, was often seen walking Evelyn’s little dog.

Her caregiver’s boyfriend killed Evelyn and Tera by stabbing Tera and slashing Evelyn’s throat. He also strangled the dog.

Case status:
Todd Scott (Niece’s boyfriend), pleaded guilty to 2 counts of murder, sentenced to 40 years.

Source:
Scott enters guilty plea in double-murder case
Court documents paint gruesome picture of Murray double murder
2 women found dead in Murray, KY, suspect facing murder charges
Police investigating double murder in Murray, KY
Evelyn Scott
Family releases names of women in Murray double murder