Mark Vella

Photo of Mark Vella, a heavyset middle-aged man with dark hair, light skin, and a receding hairline.Name: Mark Anthony Vella.
Died: August 9, 2021.
Age at death: 52.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Murrumbateman, New South Wales, Australia.
Disability: Blind.

Details:
Mark’s wife shot him as he slept. Prosecutors at her trial said that she had “gotten tired of” caring for him after 23 years of marriage.

Case Status:
Dale Vella (Wife), convicted of murder, sentenced to 18-24 years.

Sources:
Mum blasted her blind husband in the face with shotgun while he slept
Struggle to understand woman’s murder of husband
Woman gave an Oscar-winning performance if she murdered husband, barrister says
Woman who shot blind husband guilty of murder
UPDATED: Wife who shot sleeping husband in head found guilty of murder
Dale Lee Vella committed to trial for alleged murder of Mark Vella in Murrumbateman

Ramón Castellano de Torres

Photo of a balding middle-aged man with glasses, a collared shirt, and a serious expression.Name: Ramón Castellano de Torres.
Died: August 8, 2021.
Age at death: 73.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Morón de la Frontera, Cadiz, Spain.
Disability: Unspecified degenerative disability.

Details:
Ramón’s wife stabbed him before jumping off the roof to her death. Ramón died next day of his injuries.

Ramón was an artist and art teacher, with his paintings displayed in galleries around the world. He also contributed to cultural and pedagogic magazines, illustrated children’s stories, and published several books about the town of Morón de la Frontera, where he lived for most of his life.

Case Status:
Beatriz R. (Wife), deceased.

Source:
Ramon Castellano de Torres Art
Murder or mercy, dying woman did not want to leave disabled husband alone
El drama de Bea y Ramón: ella tenía cáncer y mató a su marido, discapacitado, para no dejarlo solo
Wikipedia: Ramón Castellano de Torres
Una mujer mata a su marido, discapacitado, y se suicida arrojándose al vacío desde la azotea

Prasanna

No PhotoName: Prasanna.
Died: July 30, 2021.
Age at death: 75.
Cause of death: Strangled.
Location: Pangappara, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India.
Disability: Stroke.

Details:
Prasanna lived with her husband and her son and daughter. Her son was gone shopping and her daughter lived in another town. Her daughter came to visit her, and found her dead in her bedroom. Police questioned Prasanna’s husband, who said he had murdered his wife and was arrested. Police say he told them he did it because he could not bear her suffering.

Case Status:
Sukumaran (husband), arrested on suspicion of murder.

Source:
Bedridden wife strangled to death, husband arrested

Deborah Diamond

No PhotoName: Deborah Diamond.
Died: June 30, 2021.
Age at death: 73.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Sheffield, Ohio, USA.
Disability: Chronic illness, chronic pain.

Details:
Deborah’s husband shot her. She was hospitalized, but died 23 days later from her injuries.

Case Status:
Ronald Diamond (Husband), pleaded no contest to aggravated murder, murder, and felonious assault; sentenced to life without parole.

Sources:
Court rejects Sheffield man’s appeal in wife’s 2021 murder
Lorain County Safe Harbor: Silent Witnesses

Janet Kotopka

Gravestone reading, "Janet R Kotopka, 1943 to 2021."Name: Janet Kotopka.
Died: June 23, 2021.
Age at death: 78.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Lincoln, Nebraska, USA.
Disability: Alzheimer’s disease.

Details:
When he was arrested for shooting her, Janet’s husband told investigators he was “exhausted and couldn’t take care of her any longer,” and that he worried about the cost of moving her to a nursing home.

Case Status:
John Kotopka (Husband), charged with first-degree murder; died before trial.

Source:
Lincoln man accused of killing his wife with Alzheimer’s dies in hospital
Lincoln man accused of fatally shooting his wife who had Alzheimer’s pleads not guilty to murder
Lincoln man accused of killing wife who had Alzheimer’s charged with first-degree murder
80-Year-Old Resented Taking Care Of Wife Who Suffered From Alzheimer’s. So He Killed Her
80-year-old kills wife of 57 years because she had Alzheimer’s, Nebraska cops say
Lincoln man accused of killing ailing wife now charged with murder
Husband Who Shot His Elderly Wife Now Faces Murder Charge | Nebraska News | US News
Nebraska man charged in fatal shooting of wife of 57 years

Lauri Deatherage

Photo of a smiling woman with straight auburn hair and fair skin.Name: Lauri Anne Deatherage.
Died: June 18, 2021.
Age at death: 48.
Cause of death: Shot.
Location: Robbinsdale, Minnesota, USA.
Disability: Disabled veteran.

Details:
Less than a week after her second marriage, Lauri was allegedly shot and killed by her ex-husband.

Lauri made custom cards and dresses for the Renaissance fair.

Case Status:
Robert D. McCloud (Ex-husband), charged with second-degree intentional murder, died before trial.

Source:
Brooklyn Center man suspected of killing ex-wife dies
Air Force vet allegedly killed by ex-husband just days into new marriage
Minn. Woman Allegedly Shot and Killed by Ex-Husband Less Than a Week After Getting Remarried
Obituary for Lauri Anne Deatherage (Winkelman) at Gearty-Delmore – Robbinsdale Chapel
Man Allegedly Murders His Ex-Wife Days After Attending Her Wedding to New Husband

Lourdi Ramadan

Photo of a woman with straight brown hair and fair skin, sunglasses propped on her head, squinting into the sun.Name: Lourdi “Lordy” Ramadan.
Died: April 23, 2021.
Age at death: 48.
Cause of death: Homicide.
Location: Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
Disability: Fibromyalgia.

Details:
Lordy was found dead inside the home she and her partner, who also served as her caregiver, shared, along with the body of her partner.

Lordy used to buy coffee for, and give money to, her homeless neighbors. She would do anything for her family.

Case Status:
Craig Bouma (Partner), committed suicide.

Source:
Family of woman who died in suspected murder-suicide says there were no signs her partner might kill her
Woman found stuffed into chest named as chilling note emerges
Brother of woman who died in suspected murder-suicide says there were no signs her partner might kill her
Help bring Lordy home, organized by Alex Ramadan
‘Taken too soon’: Woman found in Gold Coast chest identified, as family starts fundraiser
‘Tragic event’: Woman found in furniture chest in suspected Gold Coast murder-suicide identified
Tributes flow after suspected Gold Coast murder suicide
Gold Coast murder-suicide victim mourned by her heartbroken family

Melissia Hinton-Miller

Portraint photo of an older woman with dark skin and short gray hair, wearing make-up, earrings, and a red top with a white collar.Name: Melissia Hinton-Miller.
Died: April 20, 2021.
Age at death: 65.
Cause of death: Shot.
Location: East Pennsboro, Pennsylvania, USA.
Disability: Unspecified; wheelchair user.

Details:
Melissia and her daughter Joanna were both shot by Melissia’s husband shortly after the police, who were there on a domestic violence call, left. Melissia survived ten days in the hospital before dying from her injuries.

Case Status:
John Miller (Husband), pleaded guilty to murder, sentenced to life.

Source:
Man accused of killing daughter faces more charges after wife dies from her injuries
Cumberland County man pleads guilty to killing wife and daughter

Kayla Estevez

Photo of a woman with red hair, light-brown skin, and light make-up, wearing a black dress and holding a rose.Name: Kayla Estevez.
Died: March 24, 2021.
Age at death: 26.
Cause of death: Strangled.
Location: New York City, New York, USA.
Disability: Bipolar disorder.

Details:
Kayla died from strangulation while staying in a hotel with her boyfriend. Police charged her boyfriend with second-degree murder, noting that her body was covered in bruises. Her family says that Kayla had been in a long-term abusive relationship with her boyfriend, who took advantage of her using her bipolar disorder.

Kayla took ballet lessons and enjoyed drawing and expressing herself in poetry.

Case Status:
Ernest Wright (Boyfriend), charged with second-degree murder and drug possession.

Source:
‘Defies all logic and reason’: Homeless man accused of strangling girlfriend in Times Square hotel claimed she ‘did this to herself,’ prosecutors say
‘My best friend’: Brother of woman strangled by homeless boyfriend in Times Square hotel saw the tragedy coming

Naomi Kaneko

No PhotoName: Naomi Kaneko.
Died: March 5, 2021.
Age at death: 52.
Cause of death: Stabbing.
Location: Shinagawa Ward, Tokyo, Japan.
Disability: Cerebral palsy, wheelchair user.

Details:
Naomi died from stab wounds to the head and torso. Police say that her aide, with whom she had been in a relationship, called them and admitted that he had “stabbed someone”.

Case Status:
Koichi Katayama (Boyfriend, aide), arrested on suspicion of murder.

Source:
Man arrested over murder of disabled woman in Tokyo apartment