Category: Location: UK

Eleni Edwards

Photo of a young girl with pale skin and dark-blond hair. She has a gap between her two front teeth. She is wearing a Disney-themed bib over a pink shirt.Name: Eleni “Laney” Edwards.
Died: September 23, 2024.
Age at death: 8.
Cause of death: Unspecified homicide.
Location: Salford, England, UK.
Disability: Cerebral palsy.

Details:
Laney’s mother killed her, then herself.

Neighbors remember seeing her walk down the street, supported by a walking frame. A bus picked her up each day to attend a special school.

Case Status:
Martina Karos (Mother), deceased.

Sources:
Mother and eight year-old girl found dead in suspected murder-suicide pictured
Police name mother and daughter found dead in house in Salford
Woman found dead with disabled daughter, 8, in ‘murder-suicide’
Deaths of mother and disabled eight year-old daughter treated as murder-suicide
‘Devoted’ mum and disabled daughter at centre of ‘murder-suicide’ probe named
Tributes paid to mother and disabled daughter at centre of ‘murder-suicide’
Woman believed to have killed herself and her child ‘not a monster’, says friend

Paul Lavery

No PhotoName: Paul Lavery.
Died: January 31, 2024.
Age at death: 58.
Cause of death: Head injury.
Location: Liverpool, England, UK.
Disability: Mobility impaired, agoraphobia.

Details:
Paul had recently had brain surgery and was recovering at home when his nephew, who was caring for him, got drunk and became angry at him about a missing watch. Paul’s nephew choked him, dragged him down the stairs, left him outside on the sidewalk on a stormy night, and mocked him from the upstairs window. When emergency workers arrived, summoned by a concerned neighbor, Paul’s nephew attacked them and was arrested. Paul was taken to the hospital, where he died after two weeks from head injuries received while he was being dragged down the stairs.

Case Status:
Liam Elms (Nephew), sentenced to 14 years in prison and 4 years parole.

Sources:
Liverpool man jailed for killing disabled uncle in drunken rage and attacking emergency workers who came to help him
‘I can’t justify it, what I done. I loved him’
Man charged with murder after victim dies of his injuries

Maureen Potter

No PhotoName: Maureen Potter.
Died: December 8, 2023.
Age at death: 80.
Cause of death: Unspecified homicide.
Location: Droitwich, Worcestershire, England, UK.
Disability: Cancer.

Details:
Maureen’s husband allegedly killed her and tried to kill their son, who also has a disability.

Case Status:
Ivan Potter (Husband), charged with murder and attempted murder.

Sources:
Pensioner, 81, being quizzed by police after woman, 80, found dead
Man, 81, arrested after woman, 80, ‘murdered’ with second man in hospital
Suspect aged 81 arrested on suspicion of murder after woman found dead
A town in shock – the latest on the Droitwich murder investigation
Man, 81, charged with attempted murder after police called to medical emergency
Maureen Potter (née Bourne)

John and Lois McCullough

Photo of an elderly couple standing outdoors. On the left is a woman in a blue dress, with pale, somewhat sunburnt skin and curly blond hair; on the left is a balding man with a fringe of white hair, light skin, and glasses, wearing a blue dress shirt and black pants.Name: John McCullough.
Age at death: 70.
Cause of death: Poisoned.
Disability: Possible autism, hypertension, type II diabetes, hypercholesterolaemia and glaucoma.

Name: Lois McCullough.
Age at death: 71.
Cause of death: Bludgeoned, stabbed.
Disability: Agoraphobia, OCD traits.

Died: September 13, 2023 (Body found; died June 18, 2019).
Location: Great Baddow, Essex, England, UK.

Details:
John and Lois lived with their daughter, who decided to kill them. She saved up prescription medicine and drugged them both, and in the morning, John was dead. Lois survived, so their daughter bludgeoned and stabbed her to death instead. She concealed the bodies for several years before a welfare check revealed that the two were dead.

John and Lois were old-fashioned, private people. John was a retired business studies lecturer who enjoyed golf; Lois loved spending time with her grandchildren.

Case Status:
Virginia McCullough (Daughter), convicted of murder, sentenced to 36 years to life.

Sources:
How Virginia McCullough murdered her parents – and lived with their bodies for four years
Virginia McCullough jailed for 36 years for murdering parents
Why Did a ‘Manipulative’ Daughter Kill Her Parents, Then Live with Their Bodies for the Next 4 Years?
Why Virginia McCullough killed her parents and lived with their bodies
Virginia McCullough case
Autism Memorial: John McCullough

Sara Bateman

Photo of a woman with curly blond hair and fair skin, smiling and holding open a door; she is wearing a white dress.Name: Sara Bateman.
Died: March 30, 2023.
Age at death: 50.
Cause of death: Broken neck; strangled.
Location: Willenhall, England, UK.
Disability: Leg amputee, wheelchair user.

Details:
Sara’s boyfriend strangled her with a dog leash.

Case Status:
Matthew Hyde (Boyfriend), pleaded guilty to murder, sentenced to 16 years to life.

Sources:
Sara Bateman: Man who strangled disabled girlfriend with dog lead jailed for life
Willenhall man jailed for life for murdering disabled partner
Police boss issues statement over murder of disabled Willenhall grandmother as new image released
Killer strangled amputee girlfriend to death with a dog lead
‘Caring’ woman murdered by partner who left body for son to find

Sarah Albone

Photo of a middle-aged woman with light skin and straight brown hair, wearing a white tank top.Name: Sarah Albone.
Died: February 25, 2023.
Age at death: 38.
Cause of death: Head injury, airway obstruction.
Location: Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, England, UK.
Disability: Multiple sclerosis.

Details:
Sarah’s partner violently killed her and dumped her body in a trash bin; then he convinced her family she was still alive by claiming she was in a hospital for treatment and faking text messages. Even before the murder, he was known to be an abusive and controlling partner.

Case Status:
Matthew Waddell (Partner), convicted of murder, sentenced to a minimum of 32 years.

Sources:
Biggleswade murder trial hears man hid partner’s body in suitcase
Biggleswade: Matthew Waddell guilty of body-in-suitcase murder
Judge calls for Bedfordshire Police to review handling of domestic homicide case

Edna Berry

No PhotoName: Edna Berry.
Died: February 21, 2023.
Age at death: 80.
Cause of death: Bludgeoned with hammer and chisel.
Location: Clacton, Essex, England, UK.
Disability: Alzheimer’s disease.

Details:
When Edna kicked and scratched her husband, he lost his temper and attacked her with a hammer and chisel, causing major head injuries. He called emergency services and confessed to the crime. He was arrested; she died at the hospital.

Case Status:
John Berry (Husband), pleaded guilty to murder, sentenced to 10 years to life.

Sources:
Husband, 85, used hammer and chisel to murder wife with Alzheimer’s

Sandra Brown

No PhotoName: Sandra Brown.
Died: December 8, 2022.
Age at death: 69.
Cause of death: Unspecified homicide.
Location: Huddersfield, England, UK.
Disability: Chronic illness, wheelchair user.

Details:
Sandra was found dead at home; her husband was charged with murder.

Sandra loved gardening. As a member of the Neighborhood Watch, she used to keep her street clean by picking up litter.

Case Status:
Michael Brown (Husband), charged with murder.

Sources:
Neighbour’s tribute to Huddersfield woman as husband faces murder charge
Huddersfield pensioner charged with murdering his wife

Stephen Kershaw

Photo of an older man with short graying hair, glasses, fair skin, and a scruffy beard and mustache; he is wearing a white collared shirt and red-and-black jacket.Name: Stephen Kershaw.
Died: September 16, 2022.
Age at death: 65.
Cause of death: Smothered.
Location: Bradford, England, UK.
Disability: Dementia.

Details:
Stephen lived with his stepson and his stepson’s girlfriend. The two regularly abused and harassed him for money. Stephen’s stepson eventually smothered him, and the pair tried to hide his body for a few days before they were found out.

Case Status:
Ian Mitchell (Stepson), pleaded guilty to murder and fraud, sentenced to 22 years to life.
Sarah Pearson (Stepson’s girlfriend), pleaded guilty to murder and fraud, sentenced to 19 years to life.

Sources:
Woman handed prison sentence after making confession to stranger on one night stand
Woman and her fiance who murdered his vulnerable stepfather, 65…

Frederico Mendes

Photo of a brown-eyed, brown-haired, fair-skinned boy in a white dress shirt. A cartoon heart has been added to the upper-left of the image.Name: Frederico Mendes.
Died: September 15, 2022.
Age at death: 10.
Cause of death: Unspecified homicide.
Location: Leeds, England, UK.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Frederico was killed by his mother in a murder-suicide.

Case Status:
Dalia Baptista (Mother), deceased.

Sources:
Mum and murdered son, 10, found dead in flat after both struggled with autism
Mum and son, 10, found dead in Leeds flat named as cousin speaks out
Mum and murdered son, 10, found dead in flat after autism struggles
Heartbroken family speaks out after mum, 30, and son, 10, found dead in flat
Mother and son found in suspected murder-suicide named
Autism Memorial: Frederico Mendes