Remembering the Disabled Murdered by Caregivers
Spouse or romantic partner.
Name: Virginia “Jenny” Chumbley.
Died: August 28, 2013.
Age at death: 44.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: London, Kentucky, USA.
Disability: Breast cancer.
Details:
Jenny’s husband shot her in the head as she slept. He claimed he had done it to “stop her suffering”.
Case status:
Ernest Christ Chumbley (Husband), pleaded guilty to manslaughter, sentenced to 13-15 years.
Source:
Man who says he killed wife to stop suffering given 15 years
Name: Mary Bowers.
Died: August 25, 2013.
Age at death: 83.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Orange City, Florida, USA.
Disability: Stroke, Alzheimer’s; recently moved to assisted living facility.
Details:
Mary was shot to death by her husband, who then shot himself.
Case status:
Gary Bowers (Husband), deceased.
Source:
Caregivers who kill their spouses share traits, experts say
Police: Man kills wife, self at assisted living facility
Murder-suicides among elderly driven by illness, depression
Mary Emma Willoughby Bowers (1930 – 2013) – Find A Grave Memorial
Name: Melissa Torres.
Died: August 4, 2013.
Age at death: 32.
Cause of death: Asphyxia.
Location: New York City, New York, USA.
Disability: Quadriplegic.
Details:
Melissa’s boyfriend strangled or suffocated her.
Melissa had a two-year-old son who was in the apartment at the time. Though he was alone for most of the next day, the little boy was found safe and now lives with his grandmother.
Case status:
Angelo Sanchez (Boyfriend), convicted of and sentenced to 25 years to life.
Source:
Quadriplegic Woman Found Dead In Her Williamsburg Bathroom, Boyfriend Charged
Boy left with murdered mom’s body still thinks she’s just sleeping
NYC man gets 25 years to life for suffocating quadriplegic girlfriend, leaving son with body
Name: Lola Mae Stout.
Died: July 14, 2013.
Age at death: 73.
Cause of death: Heat stroke.
Location: Phoenix, Arizona, USA.
Disability: Stroke, goiter, schizophrenia.
Details:
Instead of getting medical care for their ailing mother, Lola Mae’s sons and husband loaded her in the back of the van where they all lived along with 35 starving animals. As they loaded her in, she collapsed, but they ignored her and went on a two-hour drive to Phoenix. The van had no air conditioning; when they arrived, they found her dead.
Case status:
Alan Stout (Son), sentenced to 2 years probation for vulnerable adult abuse and animal cruelty.
Gregory Stout (Son), sentenced to 2 years probation for vulnerable adult abuse and animal cruelty.
Alva Stout (Husband), sentenced to 2 years probation for vulnerable adult abuse and animal cruelty.
Source:
Men get probation for abuse in mother’s death
AZ woman found dead in van carrying 35 animals
Name: Monica Schemm.
Died: June 12, 2013.
Age at death: 49.
Cause of death: Suffocation.
Location: Crescent, Oklahoma, USA.
Disability: Brain cancer survivor; traumatic brain injury from a fall.
Details:
Monica’s husband tied her to a chair, then tied a plastic bag over her head to suffocate her. He initially tried to disguise it as a home invasion, but when found out, claimed it was a “mercy killing”.
Case status:
Mark Schemm (Husband), convicted of first-degree murder, sentenced to life without parole.
Source:
Husband arrested for robbery claim, murder of wife
Oklahoma court upholds man’s life sentence in wife’s death
Name: Marcel Hill.
Died: May 18, 2013.
Age at death: 38.
Cause of death: Traumatic injury.
Location: Jackson, Mississipi, USA.
Disability: Mental illness, cognitive impairment, physical disability.
Details:
Marcel was beaten and stabbed to death by his girlfriend, who had a long-term history of abusing him.
He worked at a fast-food restaurant.
Case status:
Camia Gamet (Girlfriend), convicted of first-degree murder, sentenced to life without parole.
Source:
Judge screams ‘I hope you die in prison’ at woman who murdered disabled boyfriend
Broken glass, dented frying pan, busted lamp found near body of Marcel Hill, allegedly beaten, stabbed to death by girlfriend
Camia Gamet, 30, arraigned on charge of open murder for allegedly beating boyfriend to death
Case manager testifies she warned Marcel Hill of Camia Gamet, the woman accused of killing him
Woman accused of murder tells detective she came upon boyfriend’s body; trial continues Monday
Camia Gamet | Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers
Jim Fisher True Crime: The Camia Gamet Murder Case: Marcel Hill’s Violent Life and Brutal Death
Name: Victoria Prokopovitz.
Died: April 25, 2013 (Last seen; body not found).
Age at death: 59.
Cause of death: Unknown homicide.
Location: Pittsfield, Wisconsin, USA.
Disability: Depression, dissociative identity disorder, colon cancer survivor, mobility impaired (used walker or cane).
Details:
When Victoria disappeared and her husband reported her missing, police quickly became suspicious because her husband’s new girlfriend lied to police during a hearing to determine whether a crime had been committed. Though how Victoria died was never discovered because her body was never found, a jury concluded that she had been killed by her husband.
Victoria’s husband had access to a sludge pond full of industrial chemicals which could have been used to dispose of a body, and made statements to the effect that Victoria was dead and never coming back. Victoria’s husband was convicted of first-degree intentional homicide. Police say he had a financial motive to want Victoria dead, was tired of caring for her and wanted to be available to be with his new girlfriend.
Case Status:
James Prokopovitz (Husband), convicted of first-degree intentional homicide; charged with domestic abuse, perjury and resisting or obstructing an officer. Sentenced to life without parole.
Kathryn Friday (Husband’s girlfriend), pleaded no contest to perjury, conspiracy to commit perjury, and obstruction; died by suicide before sentencing.
Source:
Daughters beg for answers as James Prokopovitz gets life in prison without parole for killing wife, who’s still missing
Wisconsin man convicted of murdering his missing wife
Missing woman’s son, daughter testify during Day 2 of murder trial
Missing woman murder trial delayed after judge breaks ankle
More witnesses testify on Day 3 of missing woman murder trial
WATCH LIVE: Missing woman’s son takes stand on second day of murder trial
Prosecution, defense make opening statements in missing woman murder trial
Victoria Lynn Prokopovitz – The Charley Project
9 women, 6 men to hear trial of man accused of killing wife
Woman connected to disappearance case dies before sentencing
Name: Brian Daniels.
Died: April 9-10, 2013.
Age at death: 46.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Columbia, Missouri, USA.
Disability: Scars from third-degree burns over 2/3rds of his skin.
Details:
Brian’s boyfriend wanted the $5 million settlement Brian had received after he was burned in an apartment fire, so he hired a hit man to shoot Brian. They forged Brian’s will and power of attorney, and two other men helped provide false alibis. The hit man fatally shot Brian in the head. Despite an attempt to stage a burglary scene, all four were arrested.
Brian loved to study ancient religious rituals. He bought and sold ancient Egyptian art online.
Case status:
James Thompson (Caretaker/Boyfriend), first-degree murder, life without parole.
Casey Lewis (Hit man), first degree murder, life without parole.
Christopher Hurt (Accessory), pleaded guilty to hindering the prosecution of a felony, sentenced to 5 years probation.
Glen Anderson (Accessory), pleaded guilty to hindering prosecution, five years probation.
Source:
Columbia man gets probation in connection with death of Brian Daniels
Shooter in murder-for-hire case sentenced to life in prison
A SURPRISING LIGHT: Appears in the dark, strange world of CoMo murder victim Brian Daniels
Name: Victoria Hines.
Died: April 5, 2013.
Age at death: 58.
Cause of death: Malnutrition, infection.
Location: Florence, Pennsylvania, USA.
Disability: Unspecified.
Details:
Victoria’s died of starvation and untreated bedsores; police say she was left in her recliner for more than two weeks.
Case status:
Harold W. Reed Jr. (Boyfriend), charged with neglect of a disabled person.
Source:
Victoria Marie Muha Hines
Police ID neglected woman who died
Police ID neglected woman who died
Name: Jamielynn Bleakley.
Died: March 7, 2013.
Age at death: 36.
Cause of death: Head injury, hypothermia.
Location: Denning, New York, USA.
Disability: Multiple sclerosis.
Details:
Jamielynn was beaten, strangled, and left outside in the cold by her fiance. She died of head injuries and exposure.
Before she became disabled, she had been employed in health care; she was a fan of Renegade, NASCAR, and the Yankees.
Case status:
Gerald Babcock (Fiance), convicted of manslaughter, sentenced to 25 years.
Source:
Appeals court upholds Denning resident’s manslaughter conviction in death of his fiancée
Jamielynn Bleakley Online Obituary, December 29, 1975 – March 7, 2013
Denning woman had reported violence in home prior to being killed, police say; boyfriend charged, held without bail
Babcock convicted of manslaughter in death of girlfriend
Saratoga native, 37, allegedly killed by boyfriend in domestic violence incident
Cause of girlfriend’s death disputed
Savage beating leaves Denning woman dead
Denning man gets 25-year prison term for killing girlfriend