Relationship: Other Relative – Page 19 – Disability Day of Mourning

Manuel Reyes and Rita Morales

Photo of Manuel Reyes. He has tan skin and gray hair, and is wearing a blue sweater and white shirt. Name: Manuel Reyes.
Age at death: 85.
Disability: Double amputee (Legs).

Photo of Rita Morales. She is an elderly woman with gray hair and light-brown skin, wearing a brown collared shirt. Name: Rita Morales.
Age at death: 87.
Disability: Elderly disabled.

Location: Canoga Park, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Died: April 30, 2010.
Cause of death: Traumatic injury.

Details:
Manuel and Rita were both killed by their caregiver, who was Rita’s son and Manuel’s nephew. They were bludgeoned to death with a hammer; Rita was also stabbed.

Case status:
Arthur Reyes Morales (Son, Nephew), pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder, sentenced to 30 years to life and must serve at least 17 years.

Source:
Judge finds Canoga Park man was sane when he killed his elderly mother, uncle
Hammer killer sane when he murdered 87-year-old mom, 85-year-old double-amputee uncle
Manuel Reyes, 85
Rita Morales, 87

Gerren Isgrigg, a toddler with fair skin and red hair, wearing a yellow shirt, lying on a mat. Name: Gerren Joseph Isgrigg, a.k.a. “Wylie’s Angel”.
Died: April 12-15, 2010.
Age at death: 6.
Cause of death: Exposure.
Location: Wylie, Texas, USA.
Disability: Multiple disabilities; medically fragile.

Details:
Gerren’s grandmother abandoned him in a park where he was unlikely to be found, and he died there. Unidentified when he was found, he was briefly known as “Wylie’s Angel”.

Case status:
Darlene Phillips (Grandmother); pleaded guilty to murder; sentenced to 12-28 years.

Source:
Grandmother gets 28 years in death of Gerren Isgrigg, boy dubbed ‘Wylie’s Angel’

Kaiya Kapahu

Photo of a small girl with light-tan skin, big brown eyes, and straight, long, black hair. Name: Kaiya Kalora Kapahu.
Died: February 18, 2010.
Age at death: 5.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: Phoenix, Arizona, USA.
Disability: Rett syndrome.

Details:
Kaiya was deliberately starved to death by her uncle.

Case status:
Leonard “Sonny” Orta Jr. (Uncle); pled guilty to second-degree murder; sentenced to 18 years.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Kaiya Kapahu
Hawaii dad trusted his brother, but Kaiya instead was starved
Father of special-needs girl found dead had planned to bring her home
Family, friends still struggling as they say farewell to Kaiya
Find a Grave: Kaiya Kalora Kapahu
GCC student honors the memory of Kaiya Kapahu

Thoretta Miller

Portrait photo of a woman with dark-brown skin and curly black hair, wearing a pink blouse and turquoise scarf. Name: Thoretta Miller.
Died: February 12, 2010.
Age at death: 57.
Cause of death: Traumatic injury.
Location: Texas City, Texas, USA.
Disability: “Legally blind and disabled”.

Details:
Thoretta’s granddaughter beat and stabbed her to death.

Case status:
Cheretta Smith (granddaughter), pleaded guilty to murder, sentenced to 42-84 years.

Source:
Texas City woman who killed blind grandmother gets 84 years
Texas City woman admits to murdering blind grandmother
Cheretta Andurnique Smith v. The State of Texas

Willie Henderson

Name: Willie Henderson.
Died: January 22, 2010.
Age at death: 60.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: North Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
Disability: Blind, mobility impaired.

Details:
When Willie Henderson needed help around the house, his godson used to act as a handyman.

Willie’s godson shot him in the back of the head. In court, he claimed that it had been self-defense, even though there were no signs of a struggle.

Willie Henderson was a Vietnam war veteran.

Case status:
Billy Ray James (Godson), pleaded no contest to involuntary manslaughter; spent six years in prison before release.

Source:
Willie Henderson Obituary
Handyman to stand trial in North Las Vegas shooting death
Ex-felon found guilty of 2010 slaying of North Las Vegas man
Hung jury in re-trial of North Las Vegas murder case
Murder case tried three times headed for mistrial, judge says
Judge declares mistrial after man’s third trial in North Las Vegas murder case
Man waits for release in Vegas killing after 3 trials, 1 plea deal, 6 years in prison

Clyde Bedford

Name: Clyde Edward “Eddie” Bedford.
Died: December 18, 2009.
Age at death: 57.
Cause of death: Bludgoned.
Location: Kennedale, Texas, USA.
Disability: Wheelchair user.

Details:
Clyde, his daughter Joy, and his granddaughter Jodi were attacked by his son-in-law. Clyde and his granddaughter died from being bludgeoned with a bat, and his daughter was fatally stabbed.

Clyde and his granddaughter Jodi were especially close.

Case Status:
John William Hummel (Son-in-law), convicted of murder, sentenced to death. Executed June 30, 2021.

Source:
What did John Hummel do and how did he die? ID’s Sins of the Father revisits 2009 triple murders
Texas inmate faces execution after killing 3 family members
Kennedale Man Faces Execution After Killing 3 Family Members
Clyde Edward “Zeke” Bedford (1952-2009) – Find A Grave
Texas execution: Man stabbed wife 30+ times, used bat to kill daughter and father-in-law
Texas executes inmate for killing his pregnant wife, father-in-law back in 2009

Shylae Thomas

Photo of Shylae Thomas, a girl with her hair in braids and barrettes, propped up against a cushion. She has light-brown skin and dark-brown hair, and her shirt is a red and white striped tank top. Name: Shylae Myza Thomas; sometimes spelled “Shylea”.
Died: April 22, 2009.
Age at death: 9.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: Flint, Michigan, USA.
Disability: Quadriplegia.

Details:
Shylae was starved to death by her aunt.

Case status:
Lorrie Thomas (Aunt, adoptive mother), convicted of involuntary manslaughter, sentenced to 10-15 years.

Source:
Lorrie Thomas Gets 10 Years for Starving Quadriplegic Daughter Shylae Thomas to Death
A Memorial Page for Shylae Myza Thomas | Facebook
Shylae Thomas: Starved to Death

Terrell Stepney

Black and white newspaper photo of Terrell Stepney, a young man with dark skin and a buzz cut. Name: Terrell Stepney.
Died: February 27, 2009.
Age at death: 19.
Cause of death: Prescription medication overdose.
Location: Chesapeake, Virginia, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Terrell’s grandmother poisoned him and herself with an overdose of prescription medication.

Terrell looked forward to going shopping on school field trips with his special education class.

Case status:
Constance Stepney (Grandmother), deceased.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Terrell Stepney
Student killed by grandmother liked gym, field trips

Daniel Ndayiragije

No Photo Name: Daniel Ndayiragije.
Died: 2009.
Age at death: 10.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Burundi.
Disability: Albinism.

Details:
Daniel’s older brother and sister-in-law agreed to sell him to a gang of albino hunters for the equivalent of $250. His killers shot him, then cut off his limbs for sale as ingredients in ritual magic.

Case status:
Omari Ndayiragije (brother), wanted fugitive.
Victoria Nkuizikiye (Sister-in-law), charged with murder.
A gang of three men, unnamed, wanted.

Source:
The ‘genocide’ of Burundi’s albinos
Una tragedia olvidada
Albinos under Burundi police protection welcome Napoleon

Hevin Jenkins

Photo of Hevin Jenkins, a baby looking at the camera over the bottle he is holding and sucking on. Name: Hevin Dakota James Lee Jenkins.
Died: December 15, 2005.
Age at death: 2.
Cause of death: Drowned.
Location: Hurricane, West Virginia, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Hevin was drowned by his aunt, and her boyfriend disposed of his body, which has never been found.

Case status:
Tonya Sloan (Aunt), second-degree murder, sentenced to 40 years.
Anthony Milam (Aunt’s boyfriend), accessory after the fact, sentenced to 1 year in prison.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Hevin Jenkins
Hevin Dakota James Lee Jenkins
Woman charged in her autistic nephew’s death