Category: Relationship: Sibling

Sibling, half-sibling, adopted sibling, foster sibling.

Lee Del Ratez

Photo of Lee Del Ratez, a man with dark hair and light tan skin. He is holding his hands in fists just below his chin, and wearing a black and blue T-shirt.Name: Lee W. Del Ratez.
Died: January 8, 2015.
Age at death: 40.
Cause of death: Neglect.
Location: North Adams, Massachusetts, USA.
Disability: Unspecified.

Details:
Lee died because of his siblings’ negligence when they did not take care of him properly.

Case status:
Heath Del Ratez (Brother), pleaded guilty to permitting abuse on a disabled person, sentenced to two years probation.
Jessica Kemp (Sister), charged with manslaughter by negligence and caretaker abuse of a disabled person.

Source:
North Adams pair charged with manslaughter in connection with death of disabled sibling
North Adams pair charged with manslaughter by negligence in death of disabled man
Lee W. Del Ratez, 40

Barbara Beam

No PhotoName: Barbara Anne Beam.
Died: January 2, 2015.
Age at death: 82.
Cause of death: Pulmonary embolism.
Location: Greeneville, South Carolina, USA.
Disability: Mobility impairment.

Details:
Barbara’s caregivers allegedly left her sitting in her chair for six months, without moving her or cleaning her. Finally Barbara died from a blood clot, caused by sitting still for so long, that lodged in her lungs. She also had a severe untreated kidney infection.

Case status:
Carole Howell (Sister), charged with abuse and neglect resulting in the death of a vulnerable adult.
David Howell (Nephew), charged with abuse and neglect resulting in the death of a vulnerable adult.

Source:
Greenville mother, son indicted 2 years after elderly woman found dead
Woman charged in death of her sister who sat in chair for 6 months, warrants say

Charly L.

No PhotoName: Charly L.
Died: December 20, 2014.
Age at death: 30.
Cause of death: Burns.
Location: Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg.
Disability: Unspecified.

Details:
Charly’s brother fed him fruit juice laced with drugs to sedate him, then set the apartment on fire. Charly died from a combination of poisoning and burns. The fire endangered all the other residents of the apartment complex, which had to be evacuated; but there were no other fatalities. Police say that Charly’s brother had been jealous of him for some time, and wanted inheritance money to start a business with his accomplice.

Case status:
Eric L. (Brother), convicted of murder, sentenced to life.
Alessandro S., convicted of being an accessory to murder; sentenced to 2 years and fined.

Source:
Lebenslang für Brudermord
Two years ago today: Case of fratricide coming before a Luxembourg court
Esch-sur-Alzette: Police treat flat fire as arson
Vorfall vor genau zwei Jahren: Brudermord kommt vor Gericht
Brand in Esch/Alzette: Feuerwehr findet Leiche in ausgebrannter Wohnung

David Alan

No PhotoName: David Alan.
Died: June 14, 2014.
Age at death: 59.
Cause of death: Blood loss.
Location: Rutland, Massachusetts, USA.
Disability: Bipolar disorder, anxiety.

Details:
David’s brother went to David’s home, killed him with pliers and a knife, then dismembered his body. David had a restraining order against his brother.

Case status:
Michael S. Dowjat (Brother), convicted of second-degree murder, sentenced to 15 years to life.

Source:
Rutland Murder Victim Described As A Recluse
Self-defense, says Holden man charged in brother’s death
Fate of Michael Dowjat, Holden man charged in brother’s slaying, headed to jury
Dowjat trial jurors get look at sawed bones
Michael Dowjat found guilty of stabbing estranged brother 70 times and then cutting off his head
Man Pleads Not Guilty to Murder of Brother
Holden man convicted of killing younger brother whose body was dismembered

Jonathan Samuel

No PhotoName: Jonathan Samuel.
Died: March 24, 2014.
Age at death: 13.
Cause of death: Traumatic injury.
Location: Coeur D’Alene, Idaho, USA.
Disability: Down syndrome, autism.

Details:
Jonathan’s brother shot him with a shotgun, then killed him with a knife and a machete. He also killed Jonathan’s father, Eldon Samuel Jr.

Jonathan’s brother claimed that it was Jonathan’s autism that caused their father to become addicted to painkillers and hit him, and that that was why he killed his father and brother.

Case status:
Eldon Gale Samuel III (Brother); convicted of first-degree murder and second-degree murder, sentenced to 20 years.

Source:
Autism Memorial: Jonathan Samuel
Teen confesses to killing family using a machete, guns and knife
Judge in family deaths case says suspect, 14, cited brother’s autism
Coeur D’alene Double Killing Leaves Family Grieving
Jury hears more about brother who was killed
Idaho teen sentenced 20 years in deaths of father, brother

Billy Ray Young

Photo of a gravestone partly buried in sandy dirt. It reads "Billy R. Young, October 18, 1961 to March 11, 2014," and is etched with an image of Jesus with hands outstretched.Name: Billy Ray Young.
Died: March 11, 2014.
Age at death: 52.
Cause of death: Malnutrition.
Location: Belleville, Illinois, USA.
Disability: Physical and mental disability, blindness.

Details:
Billy was allegedly starved to death by his brother and sister-in-law.

Case status:
Richard R. Young (Brother); charged with criminal neglect of a person with a disability.
Elizabeth R. Young (Sister-in-law); convicted of reckless conduct with great bodily harm; sentenced to 1 year.

Source:
Belleville couple charged with neglecting disabled man found dead in home
Couple pleads not guilty in deadly neglect case
Billy Ray Young Obituary (2014) Belleville News-Democrat

Monique Johnson

No PhotoName: Monique Johnson.
Died: February 12, 2014.
Age at death: 37.
Cause of death: Starvation/dehydration.
Location: Sacramento, California, USA.
Disability: Developmentally disabled; mobility impaired; non-verbal.

Details:
Monique died of severe neglect, dehydration, and starvation, weighing only 37 pounds. Her mother and sister took the money the state gave them to care for her, refusing offers of help.

Case status:
Sheila Johnson (Mother), pleaded no contest to second-degree murder, sentenced to 15 years to life.
Ravetra Jones (Sister), pleaded no contest to involuntary manslaughter and fraud, sentenced to 4 years 8 months.

Source:
Mom, sister sentenced in case of woman ‘neglected to the point of death’
Sacramento Mother Who Starved Daughter to Death Sentenced
Mother & Daughter Convicted for Death of Disabled Victim
Sacramento Mom Tells CBS13 She Didn’t Starve Disabled Daughter To Death
Mother, sister of woman who starved plead in Sacramento court
Mom, sister sentenced in case of woman ‘neglected to the point of death’
Monique Johnson Obituary

Susan Simonetti

Photo of Susan Simonetti, a woman with curly dark hair and olive-toned skin, smiling for the camera. The photo has a faint watermark or stamp on it.Name: Susan Simonetti.
Died: January 18, 2014.
Age at death: 56.
Cause of death: Neglect-related.
Location: New Britain, Connecticut, USA.
Disability: Unspecified.

Details:
Susan’s brother was under investigation for her death when her mother also died from neglect in similar circumstances.

Case status:
Frank Simonetti (Brother), no charges; charged later for a similar neglect death of his mother, Michaelina Simonetti.

Source:
New Britain Man Charged With Manslaughter In 93-Year-Old Mother’s Death

Bruce Simmons

School photo of Bruce Simmons, a young man with pale skin and brown hair gelled into a neat side-parted style. He is wearing a brown flannel shirt.Name: Bruce Simmons.
Died: January 12, 2014.
Age at death: 58.
Cause of death: Hypothermia.
Location: Kindred, North Dakota, USA.
Disability: Mental illness.

Details:
Bruce’s brother neglected him, letting him starve and freeze to death.

Case status:
Ronald Simmons (Brother), pleaded guilty to one count of endangering a vulnerable person, sentenced to 1 year of parole.

Source:
Plea deal disgusts sister-in-law of brothers in frozen farmhouse case
North Dakota man let mentally ill brother freeze to death: charges

David Herrera Jr.

Photo of David Herrera Jr., a young man in a graduation cap and gown.Name: David Herrera Jr.
Died: December 19, 2013.
Age at death: 22.
Cause of death: Fire.
Location: San Antonio, Texas, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
David’s sister and her friend burned down the house with David and his father in it; they wanted the insurance money. David died; his father was seriously injured but recovered.

Case status:
Miranda Herrera (Sister), pleaded guilty to murder, sentenced to 50 years.
Sari Rodriguez, pleaded guilty to murder, sentenced to 60 years.

Source:
Autism Memorial: David Herrera, Jr.
San Antonio woman gets 50 year sentence for fatal house fire
Woman gets 100-year prison term for setting fire that killed brother, injured father